A Life Less Tampered
by Laredo Grissom
Summary: AU Sara's past is uncovered. GS CSIPretenderThe Agency xover This fic is Finished!
1. Chapter 1

A/N:  Reposting a story finished last season.  The story is an A/U and a crossover of CSI/Pretender/Agency.

Disclaimer:  I do not own or pretend to own any portion of CSI, Pretender or The Agency.  Just playing with them.

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1992

            Two in the morning on the coast of Delaware, the tide throws the waves crashing against the cliffs.  Searchlights come on in the distance.  A young woman with blonde hair and brown eyes twists toward the lights and crouches low so as not to be seen.  Through the shadows she glimpses the steely gray gothic-style building, faintly aware of the intermittent sirens surrounding it.  She is dressed fully in black, complete with smudges of mud on her face.  The manhole she has just recently climbed out of is re-covered by sure and steady hands with the lid.  She swiftly covers the edges with dirt, making it appear as though it had never been disturbed.  The sound of ferocious dogs barking draws her attention to the hills behind the building.  Three hunched down figures are diligently making their way from the it.

            She had been told they would try to escape that night.  One had asked her to join them.  She refused.  Three of them would be a tough escape but four was definitely pushing it.  To do it right, with no chance of capture, she'd have to do it alone.

            She quietly speaks to the darkness, "Good luck boys."  Then she turned into the shadows, disappearing into the night.

1995

            Harvard was a haven.  Smiling, she recalled the memory of when she first saw the name of the school.  Sydney had been one of the few bright spots of her so-called childhood.  She had seen it emblazoned on one of those certificates on his office wall.  She had never doubted that with her intellect she would be accepted.  She had needed to provide a background for herself, but for a person with her training that was no great challenge.  She had filled out all the forms, created transcripts and letters of recommendation and changed her appearance.  She was now Sara Sidle, Harvard student.  Now she had to decide what direction her studies should take.  She just knew that she wanted a career that would focus on helping people, especially women.

            Sara took a seat in the theater, where a lecture on Forensic Science was about to begin.  The instructor, Gil Grissom, had just finished writing his name on the board and was setting out a collection of specimen jars and slides.  Some of the jars contained what appeared to be preserved animals.  She shuddered involuntarily, realizing what the other jars contained.  _Oh, God, she thought, __I hate bugs._

            The lecture almost became a game.  She tried to guess where he would go next with his comments, as she had done with Mr. Raines.  She kept thinking that she knew exactly where he was heading, but then he would look at her and suddenly go off in a completely different direction.  And there was something about the way he looked at her.  The first time their eyes met she felt a little jolt of fear, because for a split second she thought that he had recognized her.  _But that's impossible, _she told herself.  _I've never seen this man before._  She certainly enjoyed listening to him, though.  His voice was soothing, but it was obvious that he was passionate about what he taught.

            Throughout his lecture, Gil Grissom watched her, wondering why he felt as if she was staring right through him.  She took notes – not diligently, but some.

            He ended the lecture with the statement, "The evidence never lies."  The quiet of the room was immediately broken by the sounds of books closing, backpacks being packed, and students talking as they made their way out of the theater.  Sara was not ready to leave quite yet, though.  She wanted to ask him a question or maybe more than one if he had the time.

            She made her way to the front of the room, where another student was talking to Grissom.  Grissom's head was down; he was packing his briefcase while talking.  As the other student walked away, Grissom snapped his briefcase shut and began to pack his jars and slides into a box.  He didn't even look up as Sara placed a large jar of cockroaches in his hand.

            "Need some help?" she asked.  Her voice was deep, slightly gravelly, but with a slight shakiness that made Grissom feel like she was forcing the words out.  
  


            "Not really, Miss..."  He looked up into the deepest brown eyes, eyes he could almost become lost in. 

            She reached out her right hand, and he took it.  "Sara…Sara Sidle."

            "Miss Sidle.  No, I don't really need help, but if you want to help you're welcome to."

            They kept looking at each other like they had known each other for years.  "If it's all right, I'll help you and maybe you'll answer some of my questions," Sara said.

            "Okay, starting with what?" Gil wondered what kind of questions she would be posing.

            "Well for one, why do you do this?" she asked bluntly.

            "This, as in the lectures or this, as in Forensics?" 

            "This, as in the Forensics… I am curious as to why."

            "Well," he wasn't sure how to respond.  He'd never been asked that except by coworkers.  "I guess because of the fulfillment, of solving something that seems to be so hard to explain and yet can be reduced to such a simple thing."

            "You mean the evidence?"

            "Yes, and then of course there is the fulfillment in helping the victim by finding out who harmed or killed them, and also giving closure to the families."

            "You made the statement, _the evidence never lies… _but it can be falsified, thereby becoming a lie." Sara watched him closely to see his reaction to this statement.

_            Oh that's a good one, she's quick, he thought.  "Good point, but, I have to disagree, the evidence can be falsified but it doesn't lie; it just gives a new pattern to the story."_

            "Hmmm, would you care to debate that over a cup of coffee?"  Sara didn't know why she asked him, but she wanted to know more about this man who fascinated her so much.  She would have to tread carefully; he seemed like the type that would analyze a person until he knew everything that made that person tick.  She would have to be _very careful._

            "Coffee would be great."  He'd said it so quickly it sounded like he'd done so without thinking, and the frown on his forehead gave him the appearance as if that's exactly what he did.

            They walked and talked about Forensics for two hours after they had gotten some coffee at a nearby café.  He kept trying to swing the conversation to her background, where she came from, her family, her interests, and soon she found that making up a background was quite easy.  She also realized she was falling back into her training.

            He said he would be giving two more lectures that week so they arranged to meet each night at the coffee shop.  During their discussions it hit him how good she'd be if she chose Forensics.  He'd invited her to join him that summer in Las Vegas and intern with the Crime Lab.  She'd said she would see and give him a call if it worked out.      In June she called, and had to tell him she wouldn't be able to make it.  Disappointment was apparent in her voice and something else… something akin to apprehension… but why?  He must have heard it wrong.  He told her to keep in touch.  She said she would.  As she hung up the phone, she turned to look at the three gentlemen with her in the car.  One was a close friend that she hadn't seen in four years, and the other two were strangers to her but he considered them his friends.  She trusted him.

            She traveled with them to Washington, D.C., to the Central Intelligence headquarters neighboring nearby in Langley.  She would for a short time become a consultant to the Agency.  The plan was that they were going to take out those responsible for the life she and her friend never got to have as a child.  To close down the place that still gave her the images that terrified her in her dreams.  The place only ever referred to as The Centre.  The one place she never wanted to return to again but would probably have to.  It was the only way for her to finally leave it behind.  Maybe then it would no longer haunt her dreams.

1997

            Sara Sidle was working at the Crime Lab in San Francisco, California.  She had been working on a case involving a serial killer that had frankly become baffling.  The evidence was there but not conclusive.  She asked her mentor and friend, a man she trusted implicitly to come and help on the case.  He agreed.  They worked for three weeks but still had nothing, and to top it off the killer decided to take a leave of absence.  

            She and Grissom had grown close over that time and bonded during the awful case.  They seemed to be drawing closer, close enough that the tension had become almost unbearable.  She didn't want him to go back, not without letting him know how she felt.  He'd been telling her to get on with work and put this case behind.  Something would break in it and they'd get him.  

            "Grissom, _we_ won't get him. You're going back tomorrow to Vegas."  Her voice was strained as the tears began to fall.  He stepped closer, pulling her into his arms as she snuggled against his chest and her crying continued.  She tried so hard to keep the tears from falling but something about this man made it so easy to let go.  

            He held her and wanted so much to tell her it was going to be all right but that was a promise he couldn't make. "I'm sorry.  I wish things had turned out differently."  He closed his eyes, hugging her closer.  It felt so good to just hold her.  Her crying started to lessen.  "Let's go somewhere... we can go get something to eat or go to the wharf and walk around a little.  The sun is just going down.  We could watch the sun set."

            Sara shuddered.  _Only a few more hours left with him, she thought.  Lifting her head slightly, she looked up into his face, his bright blue eyes shining with concern.  "I'm not really hungry, but walking on the beach would be nice, especially with you."  She tucked her head back into his chest and bit her bottom lip.  _Did I say that?__

            Grissom's eyes grew large at her last comment.  He pulled away slightly from her but kept one arm around her shoulders.  He directed her outside to his car, opening the door for her and then closed it when she got in.  When he got in the driver's seat, they looked at each shyly, each wondering what the other was now thinking.  He started the car and they rode in silence to the pier.  When they got there, he turned to her and asked, "Sara, are you sure you're not hungry?  We could still get something and bring it back here."

            Sara smiled. "No, I'm really not.  I don't think I could get anything down right now anyway."

            Grissom frowned. "Are you feeling okay?"

            Sara nodded. "I'm okay, just... I don't know... anxious.  Let's go.  The walk will do me good."

            They walked for a while, watching the sun setting, melting into the ocean.  He noticed she had started shivering, so he stepped up and embraced her from behind.  She leaned back into his chest and they remained this way, each enjoying the feel of the other.  She reclined her head backward into the nook of his neck exposing her own.  Grissom couldn't have stopped if he had wanted to.  He tilted his head gently and heard her sharp intake of breath as he softly kissed her just below her ear.  He pulled back and looked up at her face; seeing that her eyes had closed but fluttered back open after he stopped his ministrations.  She turned her head to look at him and saw her own passion reflected in his eyes.  Moving her face closer to his, he leaned his head forward again and their lips met.  

            They weren't able to keep their hands off of each other during the drive back to her apartment.  When they entered, he pinned her to the wall and moved in for another kiss, absently shutting the door behind him with a kick.  Their movements became frantic and their clothes were soon strewn through the living room and down the hallway leading into her bedroom.

            Grissom woke with a warm body lying in his arms, her head on his chest.  He kissed her lightly on the forehead before he climbed out of bed. Quietly he picked up his clothing and dressed, all the while she watched him, never wanting to forget this man and knowing things would be different forever.  He turned to her, leaned down and kissed her fiercely then standing back up he looked at her face, trying to burn the image of her into his brain.  He turned, walked out the door and went home to Las Vegas.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N:  I will be hopefully posting a chapter of this every night.  Would love to hear what you think of this.  The sequel to it is out also but this one needs to be read before reading that one or it won't make any sense.

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2001

            Stopping in her tracks, Sara flipped her head from side to side then turned around quickly.  The hair on the back of her neck was standing on end.  She felt as though she were being watched.   She knew better than to let this kind of feeling take over but it just didn't feel right.  The Centre had been closed up a few years earlier and she hadn't made contact with anyone from there or the CIA since then. The only interaction she had with people was at her job.  Home, work and groceries –not many places she visits other than those.  She's avoided as many gatherings of co-workers as she can.  Her instincts were usually correct ninety-nine percent of the time…so, why this feeling of being observed?  While she continued to analyze the situation, her cell phone rang, startling her out of her reveryie.

            "Sidle."

            "Sara, it's Gris, how are you doing?"

            "Umm, good, what's up?"

            "I was wondering if you could return a favor."

            "A favor, what do you mean?"

            "You know how I came to Frisco when you called to help on that stalker case… well... I have a situation here and need some outside help.  Think you could come to Vegas?"

            Still looking around to see if she could find what was making her feel so unquiet, she thought about what he'd asked and decided on the spot. "Sure, how long do you think?"

            "I was wondering if maybe you could come for a few days and help me with this.  Then if you think maybe you like it here, you could stay permanently…"

            Without hesitation, "Yeah, I can, I umm was actually looking for someplace different anyway…tomorrow too soon?"

            "No, I'll see you then."

            "Bye."  

2002

            "Grissom… Grissom wait up!"  Catherine ran down the hallway trying to catch up to him.

            Grissom stopped and turned around in a huff.  "Catherine, right now is not a good time…"

            The last couple of days had been hell. Sara had been accused of recently tampering with evidence on a case that was now at trial.  The case dealt with the death of a woman that was brutally beaten and killed by her boyfriend. Since then he had seen the tension building up in Sara over it and several other cases.  It was alleged that she had two nights before, went into the evidence lockup and exchanged a piece of clothing the man had been wearing, replacing it with another one that had the blood of the woman on it.  It was assumed that four months ago, Sara had taken the clothing from his residence and put the blood on it at the crime scene after they had finished their part of the investigation.  

            "Gil, we need to talk about this, a lot has been happening since last night…"

            "Oh, do you think?  I know.  That's why I'm here."

            "Gil, there is some stuff you don't know about, let's go to your office and talk."  She knew this was tough on him.  He thought she was blind to the looks he and Sara shared but she knew.  He tried so hard to hide behind this wall he had built up for himself but it still showed through.  Even if he didn't think it could be seen, it was clearer than a newly washed window.  "Come on Gil…" she put her arm in his and steered him toward his office.  He put his stuff down and sat behind the desk.  Catherine took her normal seat and leaned toward the desk.

            "Catherine, Sara wouldn't do this, it's not like her, she's…she's just not someone who could do this."

            "Gil…you've known her a long time, but do you really know her, know where she grew up, any of her family, anything about her relationships?"  He thought about that, and actually, he realized he didn't.  He had never met her parents and it was pretty rare for her to join them when they all went out for breakfast or over to anyone's place for the small gatherings that they sometimes had. "No, she's like me Catherine, she doesn't socialize much."

            "We talked to some of her co-workers in San Francisco and they didn't know much either.  She's been a loner, even here.  We went back as far as college.  There's not much of anything."

            "Catherine, she's like me, not especially social, but that doesn't have to mean what you're implying…"

            "She's the only one of us who had the time that night to plant the evidence, no alibi and the officer at the scene even said it was her."  Catherine knew what this felt like.  She'd been there.  It's never easy to think that someone close to you could commit a crime.

            "First of all, Sara said she was having bad dreams and hadn't slept in the last three days so she took two sleeping pills that night.  Furthermore, the officer doesn't even know Sara, much less what she looks like and it was dark, he only said she identified herself as _Sara Sidle, and that she had dark brown hair…'"_

            "Well, we'll know soon enough when he sees her."

            "What do you mean?"

            "They're going to put her in a line up."

            "What? When was this decided and by whom?"

            "Gil, she agreed to it, if she's innocent he isn't going to be able to identify her."

            "Damn.  When is this supposed to take place?"

            "Actually…as we speak…"

            Sara was number three in the lineup –not her lucky number_.  For some reason, she knew this wasn't going to end up the way she wanted it to.  She also knew that her colleagues were watching from behind the mirror on the wall.   She had to wonder if Grissom was there as well.  She didn't care what anyone else thought, but Grissom –what he thought held a lot of weight in her world._

            A cold, impersonal voice broke through her thoughts from the intercom.  "Number three, step forward."  

            She obeyed.  The next thing she knew, the others were being dismissed.  An officer came in, handcuffed her, and started spouting off the Miranda Rights she knew all too well.  She had been identified.  A part of her felt that she should be shocked by this, but she wasn't.  Somehow she had known to expect this; she had been prepared for the worst.  As they led Sara down to processing, they walked by her fellow CSI's, who stared at her in disbelief.  Their faces betrayed the turmoil they were feeling.  The evidence had to be quite conclusive for them to believe she could do this.  

            Sara, however, presented them with a wall of detachment.  Her face was completely emotionless.  There were no tears, no pleadings and her eyes never once made contact with them.  Unbeknownst to them, her mind was elsewhere, analyzing everything she knew at this point, trying to simulate what would happen next.  What was happening in a nearby room though, was not something she could add to her equation.  A young man was making a phone call.  There was nothing he wouldn't do for her.  Nothing.

            She spent the night in jail awaiting arraignment, having waived her right to attend it.  At five p.m. she was released on personal recognizance, and Grissom arrived to take her home since her car had been impounded.  They drove in silence until they reached her apartment complex.

            "Sara, do you want me to stay for awhile?  We can…"

            "No," the word was drawn out with a heavy sigh.  Sara glanced up to meet his intense and concerned eyes.   "I just want to be alone tonight.  I need time to think, to deal with this on my own terms."

            "What if I call you later?  Maybe if you're up to it, I'll bring over some food and we can go over what we know?"

            "Grissom, I appreciate your help but just not tonight, okay?  Just give me some time to process this."

            He pulled up in front of her building.  She took a quick furtive glance around the complex.  Then the tension she had built up inside of her released in a rush.

            Grissom made a move to get out but Sara stopped him.  "Grissom, don't.  I can make it to my door on my own; you have to get to work.  I'm fine, go home, get some rest so you can work your shift."   

            He looked at her, wanting to say something, but ended up just nodding at her.  She got out and started walking to her building.  Noting that he hadn't pulled away, she looked back and then waved him on and continued walking to the door.  As soon as he drove out of sight, she turned on her heel and walked back to the driveway.  A black van pulled up.  It was the one she'd seen sheltered by the overhanging tree on the edge of the garages.  It wasn't one she had recognized.

            The side door opened to reveal two male faces that grinned at her like twin versions of the Cheshire cat.  She smiled back and climbed in.

            The next afternoon, Grissom decided she had had enough time to deal and he could no longer wait.  He just wanted to let her know that he was there for her, and to help her through this.  He got to her door and knocked.  There was no answer and no noise coming from inside.  He knocked again more loudly - still no answer.  He didn't see how she could've gone anywhere with her vehicle still at impound, unless of course Catherine or one of the others came over and got her and went out.  He shook his head, answering his own questioning thoughts.  He knew they'd never do such a thing.  The group wasn't that close.

            He knocked again, this time quite a bit louder - still no answer.  He vaguely remembered her saying something a few months back about getting an extra key made for her apartment.  He wondered - searching around the door and under the mat he didn't find one, and then he looked at the joint on the top of the door that helps the door close automatically, one portion of it was just wide enough - there was tape on it.  He ran his finger over it.   A smile lit his face as he found what he was looking for.  He felt a little bit guilty, breaking in like this, but he was worried about her.  He took the key down and put it in the dead bolt.

            He opened the door and went to walk in but rocked on his heels to keep from moving forward.  There was nothing there.  No furniture, no trash.  The carpet had been cleaned, and there was a smell of fresh paint.

            He started again to step inside, but knowing that this would soon become a crime scene, he stepped backward.  He got out his cell phone and dialed.

            "Hello!"  Catherine's voice sounded a little gruff, like she had just been woken from a deep sleep.

            "Catherine, it's Grissom, I…we have a problem.  Can you get the team over to Sara's right away?"

            "Gil, what is it?  Did something happen to Sara?  Is she okay?"

            "I don't know, she's…she's… damn it, Catherine, she's gone."

            "What?  What do you mean gone?"

            "Just… well, it seems everything is gone including her furniture.  I haven't gone in so I don't know for sure, but probably everything in the other rooms have been cleared out also.  It appears to have been cleaned…and painted."

            "I'll be right there."

            She, Nick and Warrick all arrived at the same time.  They entered the building and found Grissom sitting on the top stair next to Sara's door.  He looked pale.  As they reached him, he stood and opened the door to her apartment.  If he could've seen how his face had appeared a little over a half hour earlier when he saw the interior of the apartment, he would now be seeing it reflected upon his team.

            They didn't want to believe she had done what she had been accused of; but, if she hadn't, she would never have left -she would have stayed and fought it.

            They put on their gloves and their shoe coverings and stepped inside, walked to the back of the apartment to the bathroom and bedroom.  They found nothing in these two rooms either.  So, they started doing what came naturally for them, looking for prints, hairs, anything to give them a clue to where she might have gone and who might have helped her.  A couple of hours later, they'd come up with nothing.

            Nick looked over at Grissom and could tell this was hitting him hard.  Grissom had believed so strongly that Sara was innocent, but now he was going to have to face the fact that his friend, one he trusted without a doubt, was guilty.  Why else would she flee?  "Grissom… Hey, Grissom, we're going to have to call this in?  Do you want me to do it?"

            Grissom stared at him blankly. "No - I will."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N:  Now that I'm reviewing this story again for the umpteenth time… I'm realizing how much I loved writing it.  It's a little corny in some places but it is the first fic I ever wrote.

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One Month Later -LVPD Crime Lab - Interrogation Room

            "The phone records show a phone call being made to a cell phone at the same time that Sara was being led away.  It came from the phone in your lab.  Any reason why you'd be making a phone call at that specific moment when someone you seem to care so much for is being led away in handcuffs, Mr. Sanders?" Ecklie asked with a sneer in his voice.  He never could stand the nerds that worked on the graveyard shift and he had even more reason now.

            "I... uh... no, it just happened at the same time, just coincidence.  It wasn't like I knew she was going to be arrested or anything." Greg started to get flustered after answering the same questions for three hours already and Ecklie could feel they were getting close.  He knew he helped Sara Sidle get away but still didn't have enough on him.

            "Greg, she had help, we know that.  It's only a matter of time before we have the proof that it was you that helped her.  Why not just spare yourself and tell us where she is?"

            "I wish I knew where she was, but I don't." Greg was getting tired of this. _If I did, I would have gone with, he thought.  "I think if you want to ask me anything more, you'll have to do so with my lawyer present."_

            Ecklie, now, was mad but Brass stepped in before he could do anything stupid. "Greg, you can go, just don't leave town."

            Greg got up and looked at the mirrored wall.  He knew that the rest of the night shift crew had watched the interrogation.

            It was three thirty in the afternoon and the Vegas weather as usual was sweltering.  As Greg left the building, he took off his jacket and got his keys out.  He didn't hear Grissom calling after him.  He unlocked his car, threw the jacket in the passenger seat and then got in and drove home.  After he parked his car at his house, he started walking up to the front door and then noticed a car parked out front.  He walked over to get a closer view and couldn't believe his eyes.  He went back to his car, got his jacket and headed down to the car.  When he got in, the driver put the vehicle in gear and drove off.

            Grissom and Catherine wanted to talk with Greg before he left the lab but couldn't get his attention.  They had seen how nervous he acted in the interrogation and knew he wasn't telling the truth.  They decided to head over to his place and talk to him there.  When they arrived however, they spotted him getting in a red, Olds Intrigue and then drive off.  They decided to follow him and the other man that was driving to find out what was going on.

            After several blocks, the driver of the car that Greg had gotten in saw that they were being followed.  Getting out his cell phone, he dialed, waited for an answer, and when it was all he said was...  "Plan on extra company."  He hung up and looked over at Greg.  "We're being followed.  It's a blue SUV."

            Greg looked through his side mirror. "It's probably Grissom and one of the others."  Looking back at the man, he saw that he wore a face of apprehension.

            "Greg, when we get to the airstrip, I want you to go straight to the plane.  No matter what, do not hesitate.  Just walk to it and don't look back."

            Greg nodded.  Remembering the circumstances he met this man in, less than ten years previously, he would obey without question.

            They drove to the southern city limits of Las Vegas, to an abandoned airstrip.  As they got out of the car, Grissom and Catherine pulled up behind them.  

            They started walking to the plane.

            As Grissom and Catherine got out of the Tahoe, Catherine yelled, "Greg, stop!  Where are you going?"  When he didn't stop, she reached for her gun and saw that Grissom already had his in hand.  Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice commanding, "Put your guns down."

            Grissom, standing closest to the voice, turned toward it.  Five feet away was the one person he had never thought he'd see again, and had hoped he would never see in this situation. 

            Sara was facing him with her gun at point blank range.

            "Sara?  What are you doing, what's going on?"  Grissom was stunned.  The Sara he had thought he knew so well was actually pointing her gun at him, and she didn't look the same.  Her hair was now blonde and she was dressed in a skirted suit.  The expression she wore was cold and relentless.

            "Sara, you're just making this harder on yourself and now you've involved Greg.  Put your gun down.  Please."  Catherine said as she stepped around Grissom and now had her gun trained on her.  Catherine was not too happy about this arrangement.  She knew there were underlying feelings between Grissom and Sara.

            Catherine heard a click next to her ear.  She glanced off to the side and saw a man, medium build with short hair, very athletic, holding a gun toward her at close range.  Grissom also heard the click and looked back towards her.  His heart started to pulse much faster than even before and he looked back at Sara with a frown and betrayal in his eyes.

            "Both of you drop your guns. Now." The man said.  Catherine dropped hers and Grissom slowly lowered his to the ground and then stood up.  "Sara, take out the clips and then get in the plane."  

            Sara motioned for Grissom to kick his gun over to her and after he did, she picked it up and released the clip.  Then she walked over to Catherine and did the same thing.  She then sauntered off to the plane, not looking back even as she got in the plane.  It began to taxi down the runway and she never heard what the other man said to Grissom and Catherine.

            "This is government business.  For her sake and for her safety, do not follow us."  The man then walked over to the car and drove off.

            "What the hell is going on?"  Catherine asked, to no one in particular.

6 months later

            Grissom walked into the break room and poured himself some coffee.  As he turned around, he saw the expectant looks on the faces of his team –minus one.

            He looked at Catherine and she nodded back at him.  "Well, it seems that we don't have anything as of yet for tonight.  Any cases that do come in will be covered by a few from day shift."

            Nick and Warrick exchanged startled looks, and then both turned to Catherine.  She just smiled and looked back at Grissom indicating to them they should listen. "We have all been _officially requested to attend a conference for the next week."_

            "You have got to be joking.  All of us?  Why?"  Warrick felt a little confused.

            Catherine felt the need to explain a little more than what Grissom had. "As it turns out, we, it was decided, need a break.  The higher ups want us to take some time and regroup, get our bearings and at the same time be educated."

            Nick posed the question, "Where exactly are we supposed to regroup and be educated at?"

            Catherine, with an even broader smile this time, said, "Well, that actually was left up to me and it seems there is a high power Forensic Science conference being held in... Acapulco."  Catherine smiled at the boys who now wore expressions of delight on their faces.  "So our flight has been booked and we leave at eight o'clock tomorrow morning."

            "Which means we need to get home, get packed and then get some rest before are flight."  Grissom's voice held a tinge of dismay.  He was not happy with this arrangement.  He didn't want to take the time off because it would just mean more time to think.  Think about the last several months… think about her.  But he had to follow orders and the orders were to go on vacation.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N:  Here is another promised chapter.  I'm glad to see reviews by those that haven't read this before.  Thank you for taking the time to review.

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16 hours later

            The bright sunshine glared off the Pacific Ocean as the plane made its final approach.  When it landed, Grissom, Catherine, Nick and Warrick, made their way into the small airport to gather their luggage.

            Taking a cab, they got to the hotel where the conference was being held and where their rooms were waiting for them.  Even though they had gone home early from their shift to pack and rest, all four of them had only accomplished the former.

            Catherine had taken the liberty of getting them a four-bedroom suite on the tenth floor of the hotel.  They walked in to their suite after getting checked in, and seemed to get their second wind, or maybe it was their fourth or fifth.  Nick and Warrick almost raced to get to the bedrooms located where they wanted.  Grissom and Catherine just stared after the two.  If someone who didn't know them all better saw them, they'd think they'd looked like parents wishing they hadn't brought their children with them on vacation.

            Later that evening about nine o'clock, after a long session of coaxing Grissom, they decided to go down to the outside lounge, located about a hundred yards up from the beach.  They'd read in one of the hotel brochures that there would be live music and dancing, and that even some of the hotel management performed with the band.  They thought it might be a good way to kick off their week.

            When they stepped outside, they were taken a little aback at the temperature.  In Vegas, the temperature would have dropped enough to make it a bit chilly, but here it hadn't seemed to change.

            It was quickly agreed upon that, with Grissom just having had surgery on his hearing, they would sit toward the back, away from the music -so that they could still hear each other talk.  The place was packed, and everyone was in a swinging good mood.  They chose a table where it was a little darker than the rest of the place and just behind a short trellis bordering off the room.  They were still able to see the stage but the throng of people was located closer to the stage area and dance floor.  A waitress came and took their orders.  

            After having sat at the table for only about fifteen minutes, the lead singer of the band announced that every night, members of the management would perform a song or two.  "Tonight, we have the privilege of hearing from our boss, Mr. Jarod O'Connell.  For those of you who don't know him, he is the Hotel owner."  Applause ensued as Jarod took the stage.  

            Catherine noticed he was a very handsome man wearing a white, billowy shirt with matching white slacks.  Her mind conjured up a vision of meeting him on a beach, sun setting in the distance and… she took a deep breath as the vision became very intense.

            The band started playing an old seventies song called "Reunited" which was normally a duet but only Jarod appeared on stage to sing.  As he began the song, he scanned the audience as if in search of someone.  When he reached the part that a female would normally sing, the group heard a beautiful voice break in to sing the next part of the duet.  They saw off to the right of the stage, a tall blonde, dressed in a white form fitting full-length dress with a slit up her left leg to the middle of her thigh.  She wasn't wearing any shoes or sandals but sported an anklet on her left ankle.  Her hair was pulled back behind her ear with loose waves framing the rest of her face along with a beautiful orange Tiger Lilly tucked in her left ear.

            Jarod turned around and looked at her with a huge smile on his face.  He held out his hand to her as she approached.  Accepting his hand, Jarod helped her onto the stage without either of them missing a beat.  Now that she was in the beam of the stage lights the Vegas group could saw who it was and they remained transfixed by the two on stage.  

            Jarod, holding her hand, pulled Sara closer so that the length of her body was now pressing up against his side and while still holding her hand he shifted his arm along with hers behind her back.  It was a very romantic gesture, almost possessive.  

            Catherine glanced over at Grissom who watched the two intently and she saw a look in his eyes she didn't like.  He didn't appear to be angry or even surprised, just - sorrowful.

            Jarod and Sara finished their song then he turned and hugged her.  "Let me introduce to you, my special and dearest friend, Miss Sara Sidle.  As some of you know, she arrived here a few months ago and has been filling in as our Public Relations Liaison.  Everyone give her a warm welcome back from her trip."

            The audience clapped and whistled then enthusiastically began to request another song from the pair.  This time they sang a rendition of "Guilty," but they stood apart and moved around the stage to the song as if acting out the lyrics.  After they finished, and the crowd applauded once again, they stepped off the stage hand in hand and walked toward the back of the room to an occupied table situated against the trellis where the Vegas group was located but were not seen by Sara or Jarod.

            There were already two gentlemen occupying the table and as Jarod and Sara approached, the two men stood and greeted Sara with a kiss and hug.

            "Hi, baby girl, you look wonderful tonight.  It's good to have you back."  Matt Calhoun could be quite the charmer when he wanted to.  "How was Delaware?"  He held out a chair for her and then pushed it back in as she sat down.

            "Oh, no, not you too?  You've been hanging around Jarod too much.  Calling me baby girl…" Sara laughed heartily.  "Delaware was shall we say _Delaware_.  Remind me next time to never go there again."  Everyone grimaced at that statement.  "Oh and I saw Greg in D.C. and he said to tell you guys hello."

            "How's he doing?"  Jarod asked with a glint in his eye.

            Sara smiled and almost started laughing.  "He's changed.  Grown up is how I would describe it.  He um…  cut his hair, like yours Matt, kind of a long crew cut.  He looks really good.  Very business like, professional."

            "Well, it's good to hear he's liking it there."  Matt grinned but his expression turned sober almost instantly, as if he had something on his mind.

            "You know, you and Jarod always sound better and better the more you're on stage.  Thinking about going professional?"  Jackson Haisley looked at Sara with his head tilted slightly and a smile on his face.

            "Not even close, Haisley.  But I was beginning to wonder with the way your mood is tonight, Jarod, if you weren't going to keep me up there for awhile…" She stood up, capturing their attention. "Say, I usually stay a little longer than this but I think I'm going to head down to the beach for a walk.  Jarod, want to join me?"  Taking his hand in hers, she gently tugged on it to get him to go with.

            "Actually, you can't go yet…we have a little surprise for you."  He tugged on her hand this time and made her sit back down.  Matt pulled out a black portfolio and handed it to her.   She loved surprises and the grins they all held on their faces prompted a smile to creep up her face.

            The group watched intently and listened closely to the conversation.  With his hearing now repaired, Grissom was able to catch every word.  The only problem they had was seeing them clearly.  The trellis and foliage covering it blocked their view.

            She opened the portfolio and slowly started reading the official looking document.  She put her hand up to her mouth, which had started quivering slightly; then she looked up at the three men who were watching her closely.  She tried unsuccessfully to choke back the tears that started to run down her face, and quietly asked, "Have you sent this out?"

            Jackson spoke first but somewhat timidly. "Yeah…the LVPD should have received it by now since it was sent by special courier.  Your friends in Vegas should be finding out right about now that you didn't do it."

            "Thank you."  She barely choked it out, trying to regain her composure. "I don't know what I would have done without you two… and you too Jarod.  God, when I saw that van sitting outside my apartment that day I couldn't believe it.  Oh…I need to call Greg and tell him…"

            "He already knows, Sara.  I called him today and told him myself."  Matt looked at her with so much compassion that she started crying a little harder.  "Sara, I… we thought you'd be happy about this.  What's wrong?  You can go back now and see them; they'll understand."

            "No!"  Both Jarod and Sara said simultaneously as their eyes met and shifted.

            "She can't go back."  Jarod stated simply.  "We still don't know who set her up.  We have the proof that she didn't do it but whoever did isn't going to give up.  They worked too hard to make sure she couldn't be proven innocent."

            "But…"

            "No, Matt, I can't go back and even if we do figure out who it is, how am I supposed to face him… face them." She started crying again and placed her head on her arm on top of the table.  After what seemed an eternity, she lifted back up and looked at Matt. "Matt, you were there; you saw what happened.  I had my gun pointing right at him.  How could he not feel betrayed by that?  I could read it in his eyes.  I can't just go there and show up for work like nothing happened -and besides, when I got arrested that was an automatic termination. 

            Her voice changed, dripping with sarcasm, "I can just see it now, _Hi, everyone, yeah I'm back and oh by the way, sorry to have that gun pointing at your face Grissom.  I hope you can forgive me. Hmmm, don't think that's going to go over very well."  To all present, the way she made it sound was over the top, but the meaning wasn't lost on them.  "They're investigators.  They're going to want to know where I've been and how the evidence to prove me innocent got to them.  I can't tell them any of it because if I do, it will blow your covers."_

            Feeling a bit defeated, Matt softly caressed Sara's arm in comfort.  "I'm sorry… I didn't consider that."  He and Jackson had done a lot of hard work to figure out what had happened and now it seemed that what they were hoping the resolution would be, wasn't to be.

            Sara now stood up again, leaving the portfolio sitting on the table, and turned to Jarod. "I'm going down to the beach. Give me a few minutes and then come join me, okay?  And guys, thank you again for this.  Even if I can't go back, at the least he… they'll know."  She slowly made her way to the edge of the lounge, took the two steps up leading out, and headed down the path to the beach.

            "Don't get us wrong, Sara would like to go back and I really would like to see her get her life back, but right now it isn't feasible. Besides, I think her being here is doing her some good.  She isn't as stressed out as she was in Vegas.  She's been performing way above what was expected in our operations, and is back to the level she was when we escaped from the Centre," Jarod tried to alleviate their regret but at the same time trying to help them understand that this topic of her going back was to be pushed far in the background –for now.  Sara needed to concentrate on finding the person that was setting her up and he didn't want her to be distracted.

            While Jarod had intended a different understanding for Matt and Jackson, the group behind the trellis heard the word _escape_ and became completely confused.

            "Speaking of which, Jarod, what exactly was her training at the Centre?  She seems to- I don't know- have this _hardness to her demeanor that you don't.  I mean she does get pretty emotional at times, but when she's performing in an operation, she's… well, she doesn't get distracted.  She's not just a pretender, is she?  There's more to it than that, isn't there?"  Matt's questions opened up a topic of conversation that no one ever seemed to want to discuss.  But, if they were going to find who was behind this, he felt they needed to know._

            Jarod sat there silently and looked off toward the beach at Sara, contemplating just what he could tell Matt and Jackson without divulging too much.  His decision could very well cause problems with Sara's trust in him.  She didn't like being discussed or having her life tampered with.

            "No, Sara is not just a pretender. She's been trained to be… well... she's an assassin.  That's why she couldn't help but do what she did at the airstrip when she stopped Dr. Grissom and Ms. Willows.  Do you realize if they had made one small move, they'd be dead?  She has no choice in her actions when she is put in that position.  It's like instinct.  She would have killed them without a blink of an eye.  She had more to protect than just herself."

            Matt leaned in a little bit more toward the table and looked down toward his feet as he asked, "What made her that way, Jarod?  What was her training?"

            "I don't know how much I should tell you guys.  I don't even know all of it.  I started watching some of the discs that I came across when we closed the Centre.  Some were of her and Mr. Raines, _training_.  I couldn't watch more than one.  It reminded me of a snuff film.  She was only eight years old in that one."  He stared off toward the beach and remembered as he watched Sara.  He took a deep breath then continued, "I remember being able to hear her through the vents, screaming…over and over, and sometimes I can still hear it in my dreams.  I can only imagine what was happening and what she now still goes through."  

            Jarod closed his eyes, and when he reopened them he looked at Matt and Jackson. "There was one time, I was twenty and she must have been just turning nine.  Sydney told me recently that it was about that time that the usual punishment Mr. Raines used on her wasn't having an effect anymore, so he came up with something new.  When she would disagree with him or choose not to perform some task, he would have her hauled to the lower portion of the Centre.  I followed one time and watched them make their way down to the boiler room.  It wasn't until days later that I got up the courage to go down there and look at where they had put her."

            He shuddered as he continued his story.  "I found a twelve-foot hole with about three feet of water in it, and the walls were covered in bugs.  There were so many that it made the walls look like they were moving.  He would drag her to it, kicking and screaming and pleading _No, not the bugs, please, no, not the bugs _over and over.  They would drop her in and she would just scream more and more.  Then they would add another bucket of the bugs on top of her, meaning of course that most of them would end up directly on her.  They would put the top back on and lock it, leaving her in there for hours.  The next day she'd either be covered in welts and scratches all over her from trying to keep them off or she'd be out cold, unconscious from the poison.  They would get embedded in her clothes and hair and even in her ears.  She'd sometimes be sick for days after an incident, and then later, after she recovered, she wouldn't talk, much less move.  If Mr. Raines wanted her to jump off of a cliff, she wouldn't have hesitated.  Months would go by and then she'd start feeling her independence again and back in she would go.  It went on for years like that."

            Matt and Jackson looked at each other.  They each understood what Jarod hadn't told them.

            Jarod continued, "One night, Eddie, Alex and I decided to try our escape and we wanted to include Sara.  I approached her but she just gave me a sad smile and said no and then walked away.  I found out later that she escaped the same night that we did, but went alone and in a different direction.  Eddie and I got away but Alex never made it with us.  Sara told me recently that she knew there was no way we could have all made it out together, so she did it on her own."

            "How is it that she has such a hatred or even fear of bugs and yet could work at a crime lab?  Aren't different kinds of insects included in investigations by criminalists?"  Jackson asked.

            "Well, that would be where her Pretender training would come into play, mind over matter.  Besides, she's had twelve years to work on it.  She told me the first time she met her Dr. Grissom at a lecture in Harvard - it was four years after we escaped and right before we met up with her - she picked up a jar of some bugs he had displayed and handed it to him.  She said she had to really control herself from shaking."

            "Jarod... do you think there is more between her and Dr. Grissom then what she let's on?"  Jackson asked.

            "Probably, but only she and he know what it is, and she's not going to spill.  I have my own opinions in that matter but not ones I care to share.  It would only be speculation."  Jarod started to chuckle as he said, "It's kind of funny in a way, because Dr. Grissom is an Entomologist.  I'm sure that is probably something that attracted her to him.  She has the need to conquer her fears and what better way."

            Matt looked toward Sara on the beach then asked Jarod, "Okay, here's one, why doesn't she sleep?  She seems to go for extended periods without much sleep and…"

            Jarod raised his hand to forestall Matt.  "One word- vulnerable...  She's vulnerable when she sleeps.  Mr. Raines," He hesitated and shook his head before he continued.  "More than once made sure she _understood that."  He stood up, stepped around his chair. "I'm going down to join her.  I'll come back when she goes inside."_

            Matt and Jackson sat there quietly and watched the two join up on the beach.  Jarod walked up behind Sara and put his arms around her as she leaned back into him.  It seemed so intimate, and yet they both knew that the two on the beach were nothing more than brother and sister, one comforting the other.

            The group watched the two on the beach as well.  They sat in stunned silence, and glanced at each other having heard the most astounding and far-fetched story, and yet here were these people living it.  No one was ready to say or do anything.

            "You know, I have a theory." Jackson leaned over the table a little more.  "Whoever set Sara up to take that fall is probably someone from both of their pasts, leading back to the Centre."  

            "I was just thinking the same thing, and I think that's why Jarod has stepped up security surrounding her.  He positioned some of his team in the trees facing the beach and in other areas in the building to keep an eye on her.  It's not like she can't take care of herself, but if he thinks it's someone from the Centre or even, God forbid, the Triumvirate, he doesn't want to risk the chance of them being able to capture her or even him for that matter."  Matt stood up and started to walk away and then turned back. "Do you want anything? I'm going to get another drink."

            Jackson grimaced. "Yeah, I need another after that conversation.  Make it a Bourbon straight."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N:  Glad to see those that haven't read this story are enjoying it.  There are 23 chapters to this story besides the sequel.  Hopefully, I'll have another chapter of that one up in a few days.

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            The bar was located on the left hand side of the stage.  Matt waited while the bartenders created his and Jackson's drinks.  His location allowed him a clear view of the lounge as a whole.  He could see Jackson clearly, watching the two on the beach again.  Then he noticed a group of people behind their table on the other side of the trellis, and for the activities that night in the lounge they appeared suspicious.  They were a little too quiet.  At first glance they looked like a group of any vacationers but then familiarity set in.  He thought he knew them.  _That's it.… they're friends of Sara's from Vegas._  He identified them one by one in his mind as he recalled the pictures he and Jackson researched back at headquarters. _Damn, that means they came for the conference and Sara doesn't know.  Matt also realized that from the looks on their faces, they had heard every word that had been exchanged by them.  He watched them wave a waitress off as she approached to take another order from them._

            He waited for Jackson to look toward him so he could get his attention.  When Jackson did, Matt signaled to him that they had been uncovered.  Jackson did some quick surveillance and saw the group behind him.  He nodded toward Matt that he understood with a concerned look on his face.  Matt indicated to Jackson his intentions.  Jackson took his lead and picked up the portfolio that remained on the table, stood up, and walked around the far side of the trellis.  He pulled up a chair to sit between Nick and Grissom who were the closest to the trellis.  Matt came up behind Catherine and Warrick and took the seat between them.  Divide and conquer.

            As they positioned themselves in amongst the group, Matt and Jackson both looked around at the now uncomfortable faces that stared back at them.  Both spoke at the same time. "Hello."

            No response.

            Jackson looked over at Matt, and then decided to lead the conversation. "So, pretty much everything was heard, probably not completely believed, and you would like to actually see the evidence to prove Sara's innocence."  At that, he tossed the portfolio out in the middle of the table.

            Nick was the first to move and grabbed up the portfolio.  He and Warrick read over it quickly.  Nick looked over at Grissom and passed it down to him.  Grissom, with Catherine looking over, read the portfolio silently.  

            The documents stated that a surveillance tape had captured someone wearing a baseball cap, blue jeans and a sports jacket coaching the officer who had identified Sara as the woman he spoke with and had seen enter the crime scene.  The tape had been enhanced at the Agency's headquarters; then a lip reader was able to transcribe what the officer said.  The tape and transcript were confirmed by a second source.  

            In regards to Sara's statement, she had said she hadn't been sleeping well so she'd taken some pills.  The blood test had come back negative but even though the blood analyzed was her blood type, the DNA didn't match.  Her sample seemed to have _mysteriously_ gotten lost.  It was concluded that a person working at the lab had set her up.

            Grissom looked toward Jackson and found his voice first. "If she's innocent, why did she run?  We could eventually have found this out."

            Jackson, in response to Grissom, asked the group as a whole, "Did any of you suspect that she was being set up?  Would you have checked the DNA knowing that Catherine had taken the sample from her and would you have even noticed the surveillance tape?"

            Warrick shook his head and looked at Grissom. "We wouldn't have, at least not the surveillance tape.  We might have on the blood evidence."

            "I should add that if Sara would actually have tampered with the evidence, no one would ever have known."  Matt said this with conviction.  He knew Sara's talents.  

            Catherine blinked at his statement.  Not giving it much importance she asked, "Who do you think did it?" Knowing full well that they had already discussed this. 

            "We don't know but based on this evidence we think it may be someone that Sara knew from her days," Matt hesitated. "At the Centre."

            "I take it this is a public conversation now."  The voice came from behind Nick and Warrick.  They turned to see Jarod.  He nonchalantly leaned against the trellis and didn't look all too pleased.

            "We spotted them listening to our conversation."  Jackson looked back at Grissom for confirmation as he said, "They heard it all."

            Jarod reached across the table with his hand extended to Grissom. "Dr. Grissom, it is a pleasure to finally meet you.  I've heard a lot about you in the last few months."

            Grissom shook his hand and but then said dryly, "Sorry, I can't say the same, but you know that already."

            Jarod turned around, snagged a chair from a nearby table and positioned himself behind Nick and Warrick. "What you've heard tonight should not have been discussed by us out here."  He looked pointedly at Matt and Jackson.  "But we are human and make mistakes.  Please keep in mind though that what you heard us talking about is considered classified by the CIA."

            "Jarod, did Sara turn in?"  Matt asked while his eyes combed the beach.  
  


            Jarod chuckled, "Do you really need to ask that?"

            "No, guess not… she went down to the gym didn't she?"  Matt already knew the answer.

            "Yep."

            "We should probably go down there and tell her you guys are here before she ends up running into you tomorrow."  Jackson said as he stood up.

            "We should but I'll take care of that tomorrow when she goes for her morning ride.  If she's working out, I don't want to interrupt her training cycle."  Jarod chuckled again with a bit of chagrin as Jackson sat back down.  "Besides, when she hears about the conversation being overheard, knowing how much she doesn't like to discuss the Centre or her _past_, she's not going to be pleased.  I don't want to end up being the one she takes it out on."  He looked over at Matt and Jackson as he said, "By the way, you two might want to lay low tomorrow for awhile after I talk to her; I don't want to have to fish you out of the Pacific."

            Chuckles were shared around the table. Everyone knew how Sara would react to the revelation that the group from Vegas was in Acapulco.

            Silence ensued.  

            Catherine decided to try her luck again at getting some answers.  "So, exactly how do you two," she pointed at Matt and Jackson, "fit into all of this?"

            Jarod explained. "Well, to begin with, I had spent four years being chased by the people heading up the Centre."

            "What is the Centre?"  Nick broke in and asked.

            "The Centre was a facility that exploited children with genius level intellect.  They would train them to be whatever they wanted or needed them to be and they would also run simulations for the children to analyze and decipher.  Children that grew up with the ability to adapt and become whatever was wanted from them were known as Pretenders.  They delved into a lot of other areas that I am still not fully aware of.  I am one of those Pretenders."  Jarod finished and looked around to see if there were any more questions.

            Catherine asked, "Where did the children come from?"  She feared she already knew the answer to her own question.

            "We were stolen from our parents.  I know who my parents are but still have not found my mother.  I have a picture of her but no way to trace her.  My team here looks periodically into each of the children that were kept at the Centre.  We haven't been very successful in finding the parents of most of them."  They could see the sadness in Jarod's eyes as he spoke about the children.

            Grissom tried to imagine what Sara went through but couldn't come up with an image.  He didn't know enough, yet.  "Sara made up a history for herself then, when she attended Harvard?  Does she know her real name?"

            Nick lost track of the conversation as he started staring off into space deep in thought.  Jarod noticed Nick wasn't tuned into the conversation but put it down to thoughts about what they had heard that night.

            "That's what we're trained to do, amongst other things.  And no, I don't think Sara knows her real name but she has always been called Sara that I can remember.  She's never mentioned anything about her family or even if she has tried to find them."

            Nick heard that last part and turned his head swiftly to Jarod and a twitch started to throb in his right cheek. 

            Jarod continued, "I did manage to finally escape from the Centre and a few years later I was recaptured and escaped again.  Finally deciding I had had enough, I approached the CIA anonymously in regard to the Centre and the African based organization behind the Centre called the Triumvirate.  Of course, the CIA became very interested in it since the organization was being led by a foreign entity.  They set up meetings to meet me. Discussions were held, decisions made and to make it short, I became a consultant. That's when I met Matt and Jackson.  Shortly after we met, the decision came down to raid and close up shop at the Centre because the CIA had classified the Triumvirate as a terrorist organization due to the nature of their activities."  

            "We, Matt, Jackson and I, led the assault.  At the time I was checking up on some _leads_ near Harvard and that's when I found Sara.  I hadn't known she had escaped.  She looked so different.  She'd disguised herself slightly with the hair color and had lost weight, quite a bit I might add.  She was never a heavy or overweight woman before by any means, which would never have been allowed at the Centre especially concerning her, but she was just too thin.  I couldn't believe she was out so I called Sydney who was my, shall we say, instructor at the Centre.  We had been in touch quite a bit over the years since my escape.  He confirmed that Sara did indeed escape.  It was the same night that a couple of others and I had also escaped.  I chose at that point to approach her.  She recognized me immediately and although I expected her to bolt, she didn't but reacted ecstatically at seeing me.  I guess it was because I had made it out.  We filled each other in on the previous four years and then I told her what was going down with the Centre and the CIA.  She didn't want any involvement in the raid, I think she had other plans that summer, but ended up deciding to help and cancelled her plans."  

            Grissom thought about what Jarod said._  That might've been the summer she was supposed to join me in Vegas and intern at the lab._  He immediately understood. _That's why she couldn't come._

            "She joined the group… we raided the Centre and were able to do some major damage to their front lines.  It was pretty rough for a while there.  Sara and I both had issues to resolve, some were taken care of and some weren't.  After we were able to get the personnel we wanted locked up, we released the remaining children into the custody of a couple of agencies willing to take them and help reintegrate them into society.  At that point, Sara decided to do a disappearing act.  We never knew where she went after that day and we didn't try to find out.  If Sara didn't want to be found she had her reasons.  Mr. Quinn, the Director of the CIA at the time, was not happy with her leaving but we convinced him that it would be in his best interests to do so. Sara didn't trust him and wouldn't have appreciated him barging in on whatever life she had ended up carving for herself.  Then, seven months ago, I got a phone call telling me Sara was in trouble at the Crime Lab in Vegas.  She was going to need help.  I sent Matt and Jackson immediately."

            "So, Greg did make that phone call?"  Warrick begged the question that everyone else wanted the answer to.

            "Greg, he's well… He was one of my first _cases_ that I helped out on as what you might call a _free lance Pretender.  When his brother died and it was ruled as a suicide I thought it was just too easy.  I helped him find the person who murdered his brother.  Greg had figured out that I wasn't actually what I pretended to be and he hinted to me about knowing it but held back from actually saying it and he didn't ask questions."  He considered his next statement.  "Pretenders have a tattoo on the back of their necks located right on the base of the hairline and most are hidden by the hair.  Greg had noticed mine and then when he saw the tattoo on the back of Sara's neck, which matched mine, he put two and two together and came up with me.  He kept it to himself, didn't even tell Sara. But when she got in trouble, he called me, knowing I would want to know and that I would help.  After Sara joined us, I kept an eye on him to make sure there wouldn't be any repercussions but as you know there were.  I told her what he knew and what he had done for her so we worked out a plan and got him out."_

            "Where is he now?"  Grissom asked.

            Matt looked over at him. "He's at the farm."

            "You mean training, the CIA training farm, that farm?"  Nick asked with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old boy who loved playing cops and robbers.

            "Yep, he spent a couple of weeks with us and then he approached me and asked if there was any way he could go through the training.  He wanted a more active role.  He's doing quite well actually.  I think he surpassed Matt's record in the gauntlet run."  Jackson had this huge grin on his face as he rubbed in the little barb. "Isn't that what I heard Matt?"

            "Yeah, well we'll see how he does in the psych evals."  Matt deadpanned.

            "That should be interesting."  Jackson had to agree.

            Jarod got up and started to leave.  He turned back to the group. "I suggest we turn in and everyone can have a nice _restless sleep tonight as we all consider what tomorrow will bring."_


	6. Chapter 6

Following Morning at 6:30 a.m.

            Jarod found Sara in the stables saddling her horse, getting ready to ride on the beach like she did every morning.  "Ready to ride?"  Jarod said as he snuck up behind her grinning from ear to ear.

            "Excuse me, since when do you intrude on my time and hey, you can't ride…"

            "I never said I couldn't ride, just that I never do.  Besides we need to talk… seriously."

            Sara eyed him suspiciously as she questioned, "What about?"

            "No, we ride first, talk later.  Mount up."

            Sara decided not to argue.  It was such a wonderful morning.  She felt like a cloud had been lifted from over her head.  They each mounted their horses then raced down the beach.

            They approached the section where she had been the night before, clearly visible to the hotel and lounge.  It was nearing seven o'clock when they slowed their ride and Jarod, with a serious look in her direction proceeded with the discussion he had put off earlier.

            "Sara, we had a little incident last night that you need to be made aware of."

            "Oh.  What kind of incident?  Is something wrong with the hotel or is it something to do with the operations?"

            "Well… it has to do with you specifically."

            "And how's that, I wasn't around that much…"

            "We had our conversation overheard by a group of people.  They were, to say the least, quite interested in our conversation."

            Sara stopped her horse and looked at Jarod with her head cocked to the side.  She was trying to decide what question she wanted answered first. "Okay, so let's see, there are a numerous amount of questions I could ask about that statement.  First of all, our conversation was about my innocence, so why would someone be interested in that?  Second, was more discussed after I left and if so, exactly how much?   And third, what group of people?"

            _She is not going to like this. Jarod thought to himself before answering.  "Let's see, where to begin, the interest in your innocence would be because they are directly involved. Yes, a lot more was discussed after you left and no, it shouldn't have been but it was.  Lastly, the group was…" He hesitated._

            "Out with it."  Sara took a sharp breath and blew her hair out of her face in agitation.

            "The group from Vegas is here and was sitting on the other side of the trellis."

            Sara's face grew pale, her expression one of mortification.  "Jarod please tell me you're kidding? Please."

            He slowly shook his head.  Sara started to turn her horse around and tried to leave but Jarod caught the reins before she could.  "Sara, don't.  Don't, listen to me.  Look at me, come on Sara, look at me."

            Sara did so, but asked, "How much Jarod? How much?"

            "Matt and Jackson asked some questions about you and your training.  I felt they needed to know.  If we're going to catch the person responsible for setting you up they need to be informed."

            Sara shook her head violently. "No.  Oh Jarod, please tell me you didn't tell them in front of the group."

            "We didn't know they were there and that section is supposed to be empty when we sit back there.  I'm sorry, Sara.  But, they know… and they want to talk to you.  They read the portfolio and know you're innocent.  They just want to see you…"

            "Oh no, I can't.  Oh God, Jarod how could you do that to me?  I trusted you and you just talked about everything that was personal and confidential."

            "No Sara, I didn't tell them details… well, okay, some… but Matt and Jackson had some valid questions.  Sara, the main thing is that your friends understand.  They want to see you and talk to you.  I came with you this morning to forewarn you in case you see them."  
  


            "So, what, am I supposed to just go up to their rooms and say _Hi, here I am?"  Sara spoke with a harshness that belied the false smile on her face._

            "Sara…"

            "God, what do I do, how do I face them after…" She started crying and he moved his horse closer as he reached out to rub her back in consolation.

            "We'll figure it out, Sara.  They're just happy that you've been cleared.  You should've seen the looks on their faces… the younger one… Nick I think, I thought for sure he was going to break down."

            "Whh…who is all here?" she asked in a choked whisper.

            Jarod looked at her and smiled. "All of them, Nick, Mr. Brown, Ms. Willows and Dr. Grissom."

            Sara sucked in her breath as she asked, "He's here?"

            "Yes.  He was… well, quiet most of the time.  I felt like we were being analyzed."

            Sara drew up on the horse, gathering herself, sniffling but allowing a small grin. "That's Grissom."

            "Sara, it'll be alright.  Just go about business today like usual.  We'll see about maybe meeting up with them later tonight, maybe at the lounge."

            Thinking about what he had revealed, she sighed heavily.  "I'll get dressed and meet you at your rooms."  Then she smiled a doubtful smile and walked her horse off toward the stables.

            Jarod looked up at the hotel.  He picked out the balcony that he knew belonged to the suite that he knew _they were occupying.  Four individuals stared down at the beach and watched her retreating form.  He nodded to them then turned his horse around and headed down the beach._

            Later, Sara knocked on Jarod's door.  He let her in and headed back into his bedroom to finish getting dressed.  He took a quick glance back at her and saw that she was in her business attire; a skirted suit, mini-skirt of course with her legs.  Her hair was pulled back in a French roll with some loose strands framing her face.  She looked lovely and yet, very professional.  You'd never know it just by looking at her that she was a formidable force.  A woman capable of killing a man a hundred different ways and yet, never leave a shred of evidence behind.  Jarod is brought out of his reverie when he hears Sara yell through the living room at him.

            "Hey, Jarod. I made a quick phone call and asked Sydney to come down."

            Jarod came back out fully dressed.  "Well, that's probably a good idea.  He can help us go through the personnel and trainees from the Centre to determine who it was setting you up."

            "I'm supposed to pick him up at the airport at three o'clock."  She turned around and saw he was dressed in suit and tie.

            "I'll go with."  He winked at her.  He knew she wanted him to go with.

            "I was hoping you would say that."  She walked over to the balcony and stepped out.  He watched as she leaned on the railing and could see the stress molded in her stance.  He walked out on to the balcony and placed his hands on her shoulder, lightly massaging them.  "You don't have to worry so much you know… they're not going to bite you."

            "I'm just, I don't know, apprehensive… especially in regard to Grissom."

            "Don't be, it'll be fine."

            "I hope so."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N:  I know, I know.  I promised a chapter every night but RL got in the way.  Not to mention the 6 other stories I'm working on.  Oh and then of course there's all the reading to catch up on in regard to all the juicy spoilers about G/S.  Gotta love 'em!

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Same day - 4:00 p.m.

            Matt and Jackson headed down the hallway leading to the lobby as they heard a gunshot coming from the lobby.  They both reached for their guns and had them at the ready when they arrived to find chaos.  They saw a blonde woman dressed in a business suit by the Events counter lying on the floor, blood oozing from her back.  They raced over to her and found she was already dead.  Guests were milling around everywhere since the conference had ended for the day not more than a half hour earlier.  They were not able to distinguish anyone in the crowd who may have been the shooter.

            "Miss Sidle, Miss Sidle.  Are you okay?"  One of Jarod's agents raced over to Matt and Jackson as she had assumed it was Sara lying on the floor.

            Matt stepped toward her before she reached them and stopped her.  "Margot, it's not Sara.  Sara isn't here she went to the airport."  Margot, perplexed at their words, frowned and said, "Thank God, I thought it was her."

            "It's not.  We need you on duty.  Check in with James and then get back here.  You'll be on detail for Sara when she returns.  Keep alert and let me know if you see anyone looking suspicious."  Matt gently pushed her toward the elevators.

            At the same time in the parking lot of the Hotel, Sara and Jarod had just arrived back with Sydney from the airport.  As they walked to the hotel, Sara looked over toward the lounge and saw Grissom and the others watching her.  She stopped.  It was the first time she had seen them.

            A gunshot resounded from inside the Hotel and she jumped as though she had been shocked by an electric jolt.  She was immediately on alert.  She looked toward Jarod and then they headed inside with Sydney following closely.  Guests were scattered in the front lobby.  They entered to find Matt and Jackson in control of the situation and they blocking off an area near the Events counter.  Sara and Jarod approached them.

            "Matt what happened?"  Sara looked around and then down at the woman who was shot and lying on the floor.

            "Well, Sara, I don't know.  What we've been piecing together is that Kristie was standing here talking with Tom and next thing we know she's on the floor.  We can't locate the person who did the shooting.  I was just about to head out…"

            "No, just stay here."  Jarod also looked down at Kristie.  Sara knelt down and started to examine her.  She felt for a pulse but knew she wouldn't find one.  She looked up at the others and shook her head.  

            Jarod helped her back up and as she stood she whispered so that only Jarod would hear, "She's dressed like me.  Jarod, we look a lot a like from the back. They could very easily have thought it was me standing there since I routinely go over the arrangements for the evening's activities every day."

            Jarod nodded.  She looked past him to see that Grissom and the others had stepped inside.  _This can't be happening now._  Sara thought.  "Jackson, has anyone called the Magistrate?"

            "Yeah, I think Steven over there did just now?  It shouldn't take very long for him to get here…" As he said that they could here the sirens approach.  "Someone else in the hotel must have called."  They also saw reporters filing in.

            The Magistrate arrived and walked over to Jarod and Sara and nodded at both.  "So what happened?"  They briefed him on what they knew and then he squatted to peruse over the body.  When he stood back up he wore a grim face and said, "Well, we have a little problem… with the conference going on, our lab cleared out and went on vacation. They decided nothing ever happens and even if something did we'd have plenty of people who could handle it."

            Sara blinked in bewilderment.  "You have got to be kidding Paul.  What about the coroner?"

            "Nope, he went to see family… You think we can get some help on this?  You know, since the conference is going on and all."

            Sara looked back at the group.  She hated the thought of what she was about to do but the irony of the situation wasn't lost on her.  "What about the number two crime lab in the states?"

            Paul looked at her and smiled. "So, who do you know?"

            She motioned to Grissom and the others to come over.  Paul turned around and saw them.  He held his hand out to Grissom.  They shook hands as Jarod made introductions.

            Grissom had somehow worked his way to stand directly next to Sara as the others introduced themselves to the Magistrate.  He spoke softly to her, "Hi, how are you?"

            "Just fine.  And how are you?"  Sara asked in a whisper.

            "Just fine."

            "Would you, uh," Sara cleared her throat in an attempt to regain her voice. "Mind helping out on this, it seems the local lab went AWOL on us?"  Sara hated this.  She had to remain calm.

            Catherine had moved in on their conversation and looked over at her and smiled, "Anything to help."

            Paul told them that there was some gear out in the truck.  Then Jarod approached Sara and grabbed her elbow.  "Sara, the press are here, you'll have to go talk with them."

            She looked at Paul. "Anything they need… Okay?"  He nodded at her and she took a quick look at all of them then sauntered off.

            While the group was working on the scene, Sara was talking to the press.  She wasn't able to tell them much because nothing was known yet.  After about five minutes, the press started to depart.  Someone took the opportunity of the crush to press a note into Sara's hand.  Startled by the contact, she looked around but couldn't tell who it was.  

            Margot had been assigned to stay close to Sara during the press conference and for asked her if she'd seen who did it.  "Margot, did you see that?"

            Margot looked around her to see what Sara was referencing.  "See what Miss Sidle?"

            Sara glanced around and spared a quick glance back at the woman and just brushed it off.  "Oh, nothing.  Go ahead and get to your normal post."  Without arguing with her, Margot walked away and left the Hotel.

            Jarod and Grissom both noticed Sara's movements and they saw her try to discreetly read a note then very quickly she looked up and around again with a startled expression.  She looked pointedly at Grissom and then over at Jarod.  She smiled at them trying to appear calm.  Then she turned away and tucked the note into her bra.

            She approached Jarod and they discussed keeping the guests comfortable and not anxious.  Deciding to keep normalcy a priority, Jarod told her to get ready for their performance in the lounge.  She uncharacteristically agreed and walked off to change.

            He stared after her then glanced over at Grissom, catching his eye.  They shared a look that spoke volumes.  They had both seen her try to hide the note.

            Grissom and his team left for the Coroner's and Jarod went to change.

            Later, he and Sara met up and headed down to the lounge.  Tensions were running high.  In hopes of alleviating the fears and apprehensions of their patrons, they did their bit on stage then danced a little.  After a couple of songs, Jarod went to sit with Matt, Jackson and Sydney while Sara continued to mingle with the guests and kept up the good spirit of the gathering.

            Afterward, Sara decided to go down to the beach like she would normally do every night.  She felt safe knowing that Jarod had placed agents on the grounds and in the trees overlooking the beach.  She grinned at his over-protectiveness.  It was actually comforting –unnecessary but comforting.

            She'd just reached the beach when Jarod saw her.  _Unbelievable, what is she thinking?_  He couldn't believe that with the possibility of someone targeting her, she went off by herself.  He got up from the table and headed down the pathway to join her.  She was facing away from him looking out at the ocean.

            He called to her just as he got to the end of the pathway where it met with the sand.  As he said her name, she turned around and immediately fell limply to the ground.  Jarod took out his gun and ran over to her and instinctively surveyed the area looking for the person who had just shot her.  There hadn't been any indication of a shot but Jarod had recognized the faint sound of a report through a silencer.  He would recognize that anywhere.

            At the same time, Matt had been watching them.  He saw Jarod draw his gun and his eyes darted to Sara, she was lying on the ground.  He startled Jackson and Sydney as he scrambled out of his seat.  They quickly followed him down to Jarod and Sara.

            Jarod heard running feet and quickly targeted the encroacher.  He saw it was Margot and lowered his gun.   She had her gun drawn and took position to cover him and Sara as another agent joined them.  Margot quickly related to Jarod that she hadn't seen anyone, however, the other agent reported that he did see someone in her area.  Margot emphatically refuted that statement.

            Matt reached them and asked Jarod, "Is she hit?"

            "Yeah, but I can't tell how badly, it's too dark.  She's out cold."

            Sydney crouched down to inspect Sara's wound.  He looked up at Jarod. "It appears the bullet grazed the side of her head.  We should get her up to the infirmary before the guests start noticing."

            Jarod instructed the two agents to get back to their posts and to keep their eyes open.  He was not a happy man.  He then squatted down and gently cradled Sara in his arms and easily lifted her.  Matt, Jackson, and Sydney surrounded him and Sara all the way to the door of the operations center known by them as the "Pit".

            They reached the infirmary and Jarod laid her down on one of the three beds occupying the open space.  He and Sydney immediately started to check her head for the wound which was located on the back right hand side of her head.  She had lost a good amount of blood and it had matted her hair down and was all over her dress.  "Damn, if I hadn't gone down there and got her attention… she'd be dead."

            They stepped aside as Dr. Linn arrived.  He pretty much told them what they already knew.  "It's just a grazing but she's going to have a mighty headache when she wakes up.  She may also have a slight concussion.  Keep her down tonight.  Most concussions would require someone to wake her every few hours but I don't think it requires that kind of attention.  When she wakes up, make sure her eyes are clear and looking straight forward.  If so, you'll just need to get her to rest.  She may have some dizziness, other than that she should be okay.  I'll get you something that you can give her later if she has trouble sleeping."

            Jarod decided that everyone should leave for a while so he could get her changed and more comfortable.  He then remembered that the group would be returning from the Coroner's if they hadn't already.  "Jackson, someone needs to go and tell Dr. Grissom and the others what has happened but don't startle them.  Let them know she is okay.  If they really need to, go ahead and bring them down."

            Jackson nodded at Jarod with a grimace on his face.  He wondered how it was that he got the wonderful job of delivering the news to them.

            Jarod turned to Matt and told him what he thought he heard and what direction it would have came from.  Matt headed out to do some reconnaissance.

            After everyone had cleared the room, he proceeded to get Sara changed then covered her with the sheet and blanket on one of the other beds.  That was when she started to wake up.  Jarod sat on the bed with her.  He held her hand as he peered into her eyes to see how they appeared.  She tried to sit up but Jarod pushed her back down.  When his glance met her eyes, she glared at him and then licked her lips before telling him, "Jarod if I sit up it'll help with the throbbing in my head."

            "Fine, but let me readjust the angle of the mattress so you can lay against it.  I don't want you getting queasy."

            She sat up and he readjusted the mattress setting so that it was at a hundred and eighty degree angle.  Sara repositioned herself and started shivering.  It wasn't from the cold.  She pulled Jarod down onto the bed next to her to hold her and keep her warm.  They were discussing what had happened when the door to the Infirmary opened.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N:  Wow, did I ever get way behind on this one.  It's finished at my site but updating it here, well, let's just say I took a detour.  Hope these chapters help you forgive me.

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            Jackson, in the meantime, reached the suite with the CSI's already there.  He knocked and Nick answered the door, inviting him in, "Hey, Jackson, come in."  They walked into the main area of the four-bedroom suite.  The others were finishing getting dressed and started coming out of their individual rooms.  They had been planning on going to the lounge in search of Sara and the others.  They looked at Jackson and could immediately read apprehension on his face.  "I'm supposed to escort you to see Sara."

            Grissom read his expression well, and read between the lines. "What's wrong?"

            "Sara was shot–"

            Jackson barely got it out when Grissom asked, "How bad is she?"

            "She's okay.  She was just grazed.  When I left..." Jackson was unable to finish his statement.

            "Take us to her."  You could see the fear written on Grissom's face.  _Too many years wasted.  He thought as he felt the guilt of unspoken words wash over him._

            They quickly headed out the door to the elevator.  "Let me reemphasize that she was grazed and will be fine."  Jackson said to the now full elevator as he pressed the button to the basement. Everyone noticed but said nothing.  As they reached the second floor, Jackson took out a card that appeared to be a normal credit card.  He slipped it into a crack in the elevator wall and slid it downward.  They noticed that they were now coming up on the basement floor and expected the elevator to stop.  However they were surprised to feel the movement of the elevator as they continued the descent another ten seconds before they come to a stop and the elevator door opens.

            "Woe, where the hell are we?"  Nick said in astonishment.  They were looking out at a large cavernous area surrounded in glass that went down for what appeared to be two more floors.  It reminded them of something out of a James Bond movie.  As they approached the glass wall, they could see people working at terminals.  Large screens were placed on a couple of the walls, some with maps, others with images of streets in cities, some familiar and some foreign.

            Jackson motioned for them to follow him to the left and around the edge of the glass wall.  They reached a door going into the enclosed arena.  On the other side of the door was a stairway that led them downward.

            When they reached the bottom, two men were waiting for them, one of them they recognized as Matt and the other they had yet to meet.  Matt introduced him as Sydney.  They directed them past three closed doors and then they went into a fourth one marked Infirmary.

            As they walked in, they saw Jarod lying next to Sara on the bed.  Catherine snuck a peak over at Grissom who now wore a frown on his face.  

            Sara was awake.  She turned and saw them approach.  She glared at Jarod as she mumbled something to him and he in turn shrugged it off.   By the time they reached her, she regained some of her composure and was able to offer them a smile and a "Hey there."  Jarod sat up but didn't leave the bed.

            Nick quickly walked over closer to the bed and Sara.  He smiled down at her and took her hand gently and rubbed the back of it in little circles.  "How are you feeling?"

            Sara smiled back at him and how tender he seemed to be.  "A little tired is all."

            Warrick chuckled. "Yeah right."

            "No, really, I don't feel much pain."

            Grissom, knowing that someone who has been shot especially in the head vicinity shouldn't be given any kind of pain killers so that they will know if she is having any problems from it, inquired of Jarod,  "She hasn't been given anything has she?"

            "No, she hasn't.  She wouldn't need anything anyway since she has a high tolerance of pain."  Jarod looked over at her and grinned then got up to stand with the rest of the group.  "It makes our jobs harder because you can't get her to stay down very well when she doesn't feel it."

            He started filling them in on what occurred and then, "I am going to suggest that tomorrow morning we all meet here…Sara lay down!"

            Sara had taken off the sheet that was covering her even though she wasn't wearing much of anything and had swung her legs over the edge of the bed.  She tried to stand up thinking she could grab the glass of water on the table next to the bed without having to interrupt Jarod.  She started to weave a little and Jarod and Grissom both reached out to steady her but Jarod reached her first. Grissom realized suddenly how telling his actions were and so quickly pulled himself back. Jarod spoke sternly, "Sara, I don't want to have to strap you down but if you don't quit being stubborn about this, I will and don't give me that look of _try me_ because you know out of everyone here, I will do it."

            "Jarod, I just wanted that glass of water and didn't want to interrupt your little speech."

            "Go ahead, interrupt, I don't mind…I'll get the water." He stepped over to the table and with his back to her he poured the water but without anyone seeing he put some powder in it.  He handed it back to her. She shakily took a couple of drinks then gave it back.  "Better?"

            "Yep, much, thanks."  She smiled at him like a little kid who got caught but is still getting away with murder.  Her smile disappeared just as fast as she realized he had the same smile on his face.  "Oh, no, you didn't…" and out she went like a light being turned off.

            Sydney, knowing Jarod and Sara quite well, asked him, "Jarod, what did you give her?"

            "Just what Dr. Linn prescribed if she resisted sleep."  He grinned over at Sydney.  "Feels just like old times, doesn't it Syd?"  They both chuckled at the private joke.  Jarod then turned to the CSI's that were presently staring at Sara.  "I'm sorry you all didn't get to talk much to her but I would say that during our meeting tomorrow you will get the chance."

            "It's been a long day.  We should all probably turn in…" Grissom motioned to his team to head out.  As they started walking out the door, Grissom turned back to Jarod and asked, "How do we get back in tomorrow?"

            "I'll have someone come and get you tomorrow morning, say, oh, around eight o'clock okay with you?"

            "Will that be too early?  Sara will be out still."  Grissom said recalling the drug that Jarod had given her.

            "No, I'm afraid she won't.  Even though I gave her that sedative, her body won't let her sleep more than six hours.  She'll be up before then."

            Grissom frowned at Jarod's estimation.  "Are you sure, that stuff you gave her put her out really quick?"

            Jarod smiled and said, "Our experience with that stuff has proven that nothing will hold her down for long.  She will probably be up around six maybe seven at the very latest."

            "You've had to use it on her before… when and why?"

            "I wish I could tell you but after the conversation I had with her this morning I am no longer at liberty to discuss her past or background with anyone.  I nearly lost her trust with that conversation I had with Matt and Jackson and I'm not going to risk that again.  Her trust is too hard to earn.  If you want to know about her life before you met, you'll have to ask her."

            Grissom knew how tight lipped Sara could be.  He doubted he would be able to have that conversation with her.  He nodded at Jarod that he understood then headed off with the rest of his team.

            Jarod turned back around and stared at Sara.  _Maybe I should strap her in anyway.  He thought.   _No, just let her sleep, she'll be okay._  He turned and sauntered off with Sydney._


	9. Chapter 9

            The next morning, Sara awoke and found herself in the infirmary.  She looked around and realized where she was and why.  She laid there a minute to try to digest what she could remember.  She decided to go for her morning ride and let the quiet of the morning draw out her thoughts with better clarification.  She stood up slowly, knowing if she got up too fast she'd end up on the floor.  But even getting up slowly was a little rough.  _Maybe a ride wouldn't be the best thing, she thought as she held her forehead with her hand.  __A walk would be a lot better… She looked down and grimaced as she saw that she was going to have to get to her rooms without much attire but then she spied a jacket of Dr. Linn's hanging on the back of his office door.  She walked over and put it on.  It covered her to about mid thigh.  __Good enough, she thought.  She made it to the door of the infirmary and walked out.  Most of the lights were off because only a skeletal crew remained on duty to watch the security screens.  She quietly made her way around to the staircase and up to the elevator.  _

            She arrived at the twelfth floor and walked down the hall to her rooms.  Before she could get inside though, she saw one of the staff members of the hotel.  They looked at her quizzically but just smiled and continued to walk down the hallway.  Quickly closing the door behind her, she undressed and took a shower.  When she finished, she got dressed in some spandex shorts, her sports bra and put on her running shoes.  She grabbed her gun and placed it in the small of her back.  She knew it could be seen but decided it was better safe than sorry.  Jarod would be more upset with her for not taking it then about her going for a walk after having been shot, even though it was only a grazing.  She headed out and went down to the lobby.  She stopped momentarily and said a greeting to a couple of the staff members who were making preparations for the day's events including the conference.  She walked out to the path that wended its way down by the lounge and along the beach by the trees.

            As she made her way down the path next to the lounge, a pair of blue eyes caught her in their cross hairs while sipping a cup of coffee.  Almost choking on the coffee that he swallowed, Grissom put the cup down and headed out the door, and as he did so he nearly knocked over a groggy Catherine as she came out of her room to get some coffee but he didn't stop and all Catherine could do was stare after him.

            The sun rose with breathtaking color as Sara continued her walk.  _God, that is so beautiful._  She thought as she took in a deep breath of the ocean breeze and stared at the sunrise.  All of a sudden she heard a noise behind her but turned too quickly and became very dizzy.  As she started to lose her balance, Grissom came up on her and grabbed her arm to steady her. "Do you really think this was a good idea?"  Grissom chastised.  

            Sara placed her hand on his arm and her other hand grabbed onto his breaker jacket.  She looked up at him and then it dawned on her whom it was.  "Well, I thought so until I heard someone sneaking up on me..." She retorted.

            "I wasn't sneaking…I was just trying to catch up to you.  What are you doing out of bed and more to the point, what are you doing out here without someone with you?  You were nearly killed last night."  Grissom growled.  

            She was surprised at his concern and tone of voice especially after their encounter at the airstrip back in Vegas.  "I, umm, well, I just wanted some fresh air and nobody was up and I did bring my gun with me."  He looked at her skeptically.  She turned around slightly so he could see it.  He hadn't even noticed it before when he was trying to catch up to her.  "Besides, I can handle it.  I know you don't think I can but there's more to me than…" She trailed off.  If she finished that sentence they would end up in a conversation she was not prepared to be in.  She looked away.

            "Sara, I know there is, but I… I'm still worried."  Grissom hadn't let go of her yet and pulled her a little closer.

            She peered up at him. "Why?"

            "What do you mean why?"

            "Why are you worried?  I would have thought you, well, that after Vegas, you wouldn't…"

            "Wouldn't what, worry?  Come on Sara, you know me better than that… at least I would hope that you did.  I do care you know."

            "I'm sorry, Grissom, I know it doesn't mean much but I was just acting out of instinct…"

            "I know...we should get back."  He realized he still had a hold on her and so he gently let go. "Jarod wanted to have a meeting this morning to discuss the events that have happened recently and back in Vegas.  I like him you know.  He's seems protective of you."  They started to walk back up the path.

            "Yeah, that's Jarod, he's well… he always has been obsessed with protecting me ever since I can remember."

            "How long is that?"

            "Since I first arrived at the Centre.  I was four.  After I had been there a few years he seemed to hover over me, where ever I was I knew he was keeping an eye out for me."

            "Including the times you were in the _Hole_?"  He emphasized the last word to make sure she understood what he meant.

            She heard the last word but kept looking down at the pavement below her and then it dawned on her what he meant and that he must have heard about her punishments, "You know?  All of you know?"  She gasped.  _They can't know that._  It was so degrading to know that so many people knew your greatest fear.

            Grissom could only nod.  He didn't want to make her upset and yet here she was starting to cry.  "Sara, I'm having a hard time dealing with how much you have gone through.  We only heard a few things and yet why do I know there is a whole lot more?  Jarod referred to your training like something out of a snuff film." 

            Sara stopped walking and turned away, facing the ocean.  She stared out at it and he turned and stood looking at her profile and all the defiance he could read in it.  He reached out to her and touched her shoulder.  She flinched away.  "Grissom, my background is not something I am ready to discuss nor do I think I ever will, please don't ask me about it, now or ever."  She then stepped around him and headed back to the hotel.  Grissom shook his head and followed her.

            When they got into the elevator, silence reigned.  When they stopped at the tenth floor he turned to her as he exited the elevator. "I'm sorry Sara, I just…I guess you can only talk to someone you trust."  Then he turned and headed to his room.

            The elevator doors closed and Sara allowed the tears to flow. _Why can't I talk to him?  She asked aloud but no one answered.  She probably hurt him more with her last statement then when she held that gun directly at him.  She stepped out of the elevator on her floor, and walked down to her rooms.  She made herself dress for their meeting.  __This is going to be tough, she thought as she realized they would all be there, watching her actions, seeing her as the pretender she was made to be.  She put on her best skirt suit, the one that reminded her of how Miss Parker always dressed.  It was so very business-like and professional and would help her put that wall up so know one would know her inner turmoil.  It always made her feel untouchable…_

            Jarod had gotten up at six o'clock and went in search of Sara.  _Of course, she's not in the Infirmary where she's  supposed to be.  Why should I expect her to be there since she doesn't know how to obey simple directions in regard to her health?  Okay, Jarod, just calm down, she is probably just fine._

            Sydney walked up behind him and made Jarod jump as he said, "Jarod?"

            Jarod spun around, nearly colliding into Sydney.  "God damn it Sydney, don't do that."

            Sydney started to chuckle.  He knew Jarod all to well.  "Looking for something or should I say someone?"

            "Yeah, did you happen to see our little escape artist?  You know the one, the stubborn blonde with brown eyes who can't possibly take a little help and God forbid actually rest for awhile…?"  _Man, I'm going to have to watch what I say or they'll start calling me whiny._

            "Actually, yes, I did see her.  She was walking back into the hotel with that Dr. Grissom.  It looked like they had just went for a walk on the beach… or maybe I should say she went for the walk and he went after her."

            "You mean, he went after her to bring her back in?"

            "Might be, but not sure, they were talking at one point and then I think, from the way she was standing away from him, she got mad and stormed back into the hotel.  He just followed her."

            "Well, it's a good thing he got her to get back inside 'cause if I had found her outside she'd be…well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty."

            "Jarod, she can take care of herself and she does know when she is over her head.  She did come to you seven months ago didn't she?"

            The clicking of shoes interrupted their conversation.  They turned to see Sara, dressed up, looking like she was ready to kick some butt.  The way she walked towards them made Jarod feel like he was being hunted down all over again.


	10. Chapter 10

            When Sara reached them, she turned to Sydney to say Good Morning and to give him a quick peck on the cheek but as she did this, the elevator doors opened, allowing entrance for Grissom and the others followed by Matt and Jackson.  

            The CSI's didn't recognize Sara until she turned around.  Sara saw the astonishment on their faces at her being up and around.  After her episode with Grissom, she decided to take the offensive.  "Good Morning everyone, if we're all ready, let's move on down to the staging room and get this meeting over with, I have a lot on my plate today."  With that, she turned away from them and walked down the hallway past the "Arena" and into a large room.  

            Catherine smiled, this was the Sara she remembered.

            Jarod and Sydney shared a look of amusement and then they both gave Grissom a look that asked with their smirks and their eyes 'just what the hell did you say to her?'  Grissom looked back at both of them and just shrugged and walked past them toward the room.  Everyone quietly followed behind. 

            As they entered the room, which overlooked the "Arena", they saw that Sara had already taken a seat at the table in the room.  As everyone took their seats, they noticed monitors embedded into the table.  Jarod took the seat at the head of the table and Sara was positioned at his right with Matt and Jackson on his left.  Sydney took the seat next to Sara.  Grissom and Warrick sat down next to Matt and Jackson and had a clear view of Sara across the table.  Nick and Catherine sat opposite them.

            "So, we all know what this meeting is about but let me clarify what the meeting isn't about."  Jarod looked pointedly over at Sydney and Sara then back at the group. "It should be understood that neither Sara nor I wish to discuss our backgrounds as far as the training is concerned.  Those are memories best left buried.  Also, it should be understood that the conversation that we had the other night and the one that you overheard in the lounge is not something that should go any further.  Very few people in the government know about the Centre and even fewer know what happened there and that is how we would like it to remain.  Too many people could be hurt with that knowledge.  Now on with business… Sara, I believe you have some pertinent information to share with everyone here."  His eyes met hers with the intensity of someone conducting an interrogation.

            Sara seemed a little shaken by his statement and was wondering what he was talking about but in the recesses of her mind she knew.  "What information?"

            "Hmm, let's see, the note you received the night Kristie was killed and the attempt was made on yours, you know, last night."  Jarod said slowly like he was talking to an errant child.

            "What note?"  Sara sat back in her chair with her arms crossed over her chest and began chewing on her bottom lip.

            Following Jarod's lead, Grissom spoke, "The note you received while giving the Press conference.  The note that made you nervously look around and then back at Jarod and I."                           

            Catherine, Nick and Warrick stared at Grissom.  They hadn't seen what he just referred to and wondered how he did.

            Sara looked down at the table trying to become one with it… 'Damn, how'd they know?'  She glanced up at Grissom and then toward Jarod.  She vehemently spit out, "It's in my room."

            Jarod smiled at her and then instructed.  "Matt, would you be so kind as to retrieve the note? Sara, where is it hidden?"

            "It's underneath the top drawer of my dresser."  Matt got up and left the room.

            Jarod resumed his "interrogation" of Sara.  "So what was on the note?"

            She looked up at Jarod and then darted a glance over at Grissom.  She continued chewing her bottom lip nervously and looked back down at the table.  With a heavy sigh she said, "I won't let you have him this time, now he will be mine." 

            Jarod thought about that for a moment before he continued.  "Was it hand written or typed?"  Jarod stood up and moved closer to Sara.

            "Hand written…"

            "Did you recognize it?"

            Silence.

            He leaned over her and placed one hand on the table and one on the back of her chair.  He then spoke directly into her profile.  "Sara, did you recognize it?"  

            "Yes.  But I can't place it.  It's familiar but I don't know from where or when or whom."

            "It sounds as though someone from your past assumes you had a relationship with someone and that someone is probably in this room.  Is there anyone here who you have had a relationship with in the past?" 

            Catherine quickly looked over to see Grissom stiffen when Jarod asked his question.  'Oh yeah!'  She now knew there had been something between them and it was enough to make them both nervous as she took note of Sara's disposition as well.

            Sara didn't look up from the table when Jarod spoke.  She knew if she did her eyes would involuntarily look in Grissom's direction.  She wasn't about to put him on the spot like that.  He had been the only one she had a relationship with. 

            "Jarod, we need to think about that for a moment." Sydney spoke with caution in his tone like he used to when coaching Jarod on a simulation. "It could be that this person has perceived a relationship where there is none."

            'Thank you Sydney!' Sara silently applauded.  She made herself look up directly at Sydney, not letting her eyes waver. "That's a good point.  It could be that a friendship may appear to be more than that, I mean look at…"

            "It's a good possibility and I need to point out that this person is probably the same one who set you up in Vegas.  If it is, she may have done it to get you out of the way."  Sydney said as he watched Jarod to gauge whether Jarod's thoughts were along the same lines.

            "Or it could've been done to get you to run to the object of their obsession…" Jarod let his comment dangle for a moment.  He indeed understood Sydney's observation but he knew that Sara wasn't going to take the implication very well.

            Sara looked up at Jarod after she processed his statement. "You mean you, but… Oh my…" She dropped her head down onto the table.  Sydney reached over and softly rubbed her back.  Without lifting back up, they heard her muffled talk. "I never dreamed I might endanger you."

            Matt had walked in and heard the conversation from Jarod's last comment and spoke up. "You didn't direct them here.  Remember, Jackson and I came and picked you up, you didn't even know we were going to be waiting for you to arrive home from lock up.  You didn't call us, Greg did."

  
            The investigator in Grissom analyzed their conversation.  He decided to put his two cents in.  "Our suspect is looking to remove Sara from the equation."  He then asked, "So why was our victim in the lobby killed?"  Jarod and Grissom shared a look and came to the same conclusion.

            Jarod spoke quietly, almost in a whisper, as he thought out his words.  "Kristie was filling in for Sara.  Sara was absent so Kristie was following Sara's daily 'routine'."  He emphasized the last word as he realized that was the key.

            Sara picked up on it.  "When I was shot," She paused.  "You know, I go down to the beach every night when I am here -every night after we sing."

            Grissom put the equation together and formulated the answer.  "It would seem that whoever is familiar enough with your routine, either on your hotel staff or a member of your 'team', may be your suspect."

            Jarod sat back down and leaned back in his chair as he dissected what Grissom suggested.  "It would have to be someone new, more than likely a female, and someone with a bogus background."  He turned to look at Sara.  "We need to do some background checks on anyone hired on the hotel staff or the team within the last seven months."

            "I have a list of everyone present in the lobby and surrounding area when Kristie was shot along with their statements."  Grissom addressed this to Jarod and then looked over at Sara as he said.  "I was reviewing them this morning before I went with you on your walk.  It would be best if we all divided up that list as well and look into the backgrounds of those present."

            "Your team, Dr. Grissom, can help on that.  Sara and Sydney, start going through the personnel from the Centre and also of any missing children from our time there.  See if there are any that stick out in your mind, Sara."  Jarod delegated the homework.

            Just as Jarod finished, Margot stepped in, walked over to Sara and whispered to her then walked back out.  "Jarod, the conference is about to begin and I am needed by the press.  They are requesting more information about Kristie."

            "Dr. Grissom, you and your team should probably continue to attend the conference to keep up appearances.  We don't want our suspect to think we have changed routines."  Jarod, after he directed his statements to Grissom, turned to Sara.  "Sara, you need to keep your routine as much as possible today, however, I am going to add one change."  He hesitated, as he knew Sara wasn't going to like his suggestion.  "I want Matt or at least one of us in this room with you at all times and I do mean 'all times'."  

            Sara glared at him and opened her mouth to make a scathing remark when Sydney broke in and said something to her in a different language.  She immediately closed her mouth; sat up straighter and simply replied, "Yes sir."

            Grissom and the others noticed the language but couldn't place it and then realized that she reacted to him like a soldier would react to a superior giving an order.  Grissom wasn't sure if he liked that and felt he would need to question Jarod on it later.  It seemed very manipulative.  What they didn't know was that was exactly what Sydney wanted.  He had just told her it was an order knowing that she would then obey implicitly.  He hated resorting to it but it was for her safety.

            "Matt, keep an eye on her while she's working.  After lunch, Sara, I want you to come back down here and pour over the records with Sydney."  Jarod motioned for her and Matt to head off.  They both stood, Sara stiffly, and left the room.  "Dr. Grissom, you will need to be attending the conference but afterward please come back down here with your notes and any papers you have.  We'll review them before we have to attend the gathering in the lounge tonight."  He noticed that Grissom wanted to ask him something and knew it would pertain to what happened to Sara just a few moments before.  "I know you have questions, but let's hold off on them for awhile so we can get a handle on everything else.  We'll talk later.  Okay, everyone head out."  Everyone rose at his urging except Sydney who remained to speak with Jarod.

            Grissom didn't like being brushed off like that but he decided he would make a point to get Jarod alone to confront him about what happened with Sara.  He walked out with the rest of his CSI's and they headed over to the elevator.  Jackson went with them since he was supposed to speak at the conference today.

            Jarod and Sydney took a moment to digest what had been discussed then Jarod stood up and ran his hand through his hair as he stared out the windows into the Arena.  "You shouldn't have done that Sydney."

            "Jarod, I'm sorry, but I knew she wasn't going to go for you just suggesting to have someone with her."

Jarod wasn't happy with it.  "You know as well as I do what her reaction will be when we take her out of it."

            "Yeah, but I'd rather have her in mode than going off on her own.  Wouldn't you?"  Sydney looked chagrined but knew it had been for the best.

            Jarod turned back around to face Sydney.  "Syd, I know that part of what you're doing you think is in her best interests but consider the fact that she's had enough people tampering with her life.  She doesn't need more.  I wanted to avoid doing that at all costs." 

            "Jarod, I didn't enjoy doing that, but after last night and her actions this morning, we can't afford to have her go off independently or we could end up losing her."  Sydney leaned back in his chair as he continued.  "Which could allow the person whose doing this to get another chance to kill her.  And if they were to succeed, you would be their next target.  She'll still be able to function the same but she'll just be more pliable.

            "I know, but do you want to explain that to Grissom?  Because I'm quite sure he noticed and is not happy about it and I don't want to be the one to tell him she's walking around in a controlled trance."   Jarod turned back around to the Arena as he said, "I am certain that Sara loves him and he feels likewise and will be quite protective of her."

            Both of them sat silently contemplating their next actions.


	11. Chapter 11

            Sara and Matt, in the meantime, had met with the press and then started going through the motions of Sara's daily duties in regard to checking in on the long-term guests and seeing to their needs.  Then they headed off to the hotel's main office to retrieve some paperwork that she was in need of finishing up from yesterday morning.  

            Matt could tell that her actions seemed controlled and somewhat cold and he compared that knowledge with what he had heard Sydney say to her.  Matt was fluent in Russian but he couldn't understand why Sydney's telling her, 'Sara, that's an order." would make so much of a change in her.  It was almost like she was reacting from a hypnotic suggestion.  He watched her from the office door and waited for her to grab the paperwork she needed to take down to the lounge for lunch and to meet up with Jarod.  As he continued to watch her actions, he recalled her training and who trained her.  'Oh, man, that's it.  She 'is' in a hypnotic trance.  Why would Sydney do that and more to the point why would Jarod allow him to?'  He didn't understand and was going to have to ask Jarod about it later.

            "Matt, let's go."  Sara swept out of the room determinedly with a couple of files in hand.  They arrived in the lobby just as the conference broke for lunch.  As they headed out to the lounge, Grissom stepped in front of them.  "Sara, Matt.  Would you mind if we joined you for lunch?"

            Sara didn't reply so Matt told Grissom that he thought it would be okay.  They again headed out to the lounge, and then Sara stopped and looked over at Grissom.  She just stared at him for a minute and then asked, "Grissom, did you bring your notes on Kristie's murder with you?"

            Grissom was startled at her abrupt nature but replied casually.  "No.  If you want, I can get them and bring them down." 

            "Yes, I want to review them."  She said it and then just as quickly as she had stopped she resumed her walk out to the lounge.  Matt followed closely behind.  

            Catherine looked at Grissom's puzzled face and asked, "What's going on Gris?  Sara's acting strange."

            "I'm not sure but if it's what I think it is, Jarod and Sydney are going to have some explaining to do."

            Nick looked out toward Sara and Matt as they made their way down to the lounge with a growing amount of concern on his face.  "Gris, what do you think it is?'

            "I think that she was put into some kind of trance with a hypnotic suggestion by Sydney."  Grissom ran his hand through his hair as he said this and ended up resting his hand on the back of his neck.

            "Man, they wouldn't do that would they?"  Warrick asked.  "That would be seriously wrong.  Sara will be really angry when she comes out of it."

            "You can count on that."  Catherine shook her head as she thought of what Sara's reaction would be.

            Grissom headed back up to his room to retrieve the papers and the rest of the team walked down to the lounge.  When Grissom arrived at the lounge, he saw the group sitting in the far back.  Sara sat stiff and motionless.  He had had enough.  After he reached the table, he asked Jarod and Sydney to step out of the lounge with him.  They reluctantly did so since they knew what he was going to ask them about Sara.

            They slowly walked away from the lounge and from any prying ears.  When he thought they were out of earshot from anyone he gruffly said, "I am not going to ask any questions.  I simply want you," Grissom pointed harshly at Sydney, "to pull Sara out of her trance immediately."

            Jarod and Sydney were stunned.  They hadn't really thought that he actually knew.  "Dr. Grissom, Sara," Before Sydney could finish; Grissom stepped closer to him and spit out between clenched teeth.  "I don't think you understand me.  Take her out of it now before you begin to wish you had."  Grissom glared at him intensely.

            Jarod had stepped in between the two of them and tried to keep Grissom from doing something stupid.  "Grissom, calm down.  Sara will be taken out of it.  We will just need to get her back down to the Pit before we do.  We don't want her to come out of it up here."

            Grissom took a step back and then without saying another word walked back into the lounge.  Sydney and Jarod followed but as they approached the table, Sydney made sure to get to Sara first.  He leaned down next to her ear and whispered something to her.  She instantly stood and walked off toward the Hotel with Sydney following close behind.

            Grissom addressed his team. "We are going to have a meeting in the Pit.  I would like all of you to have lunch and then return to the conference.  I won't be attending the afternoon session."  Grissom then walked away along with Jarod.

            Those sitting at the table watched them make their way back up to the Hotel.  They shared looks that read they were glad they weren't tagging along.

            Sydney, Jarod, Grissom and Sara arrived in the Pit and continued to walk down into an area that Grissom hadn't seen yet.  They went down steep stairways that lead further down than the lowest floor where the Infirmary was located.  When they reached the bottom, Grissom's interest in the Pit grew as he saw that the room they entered was like a gymnasium.  There were all kinds of equipment normally used for exercising and there was also some large floor mats laid out on the floor.  His attention was drawn back to Sara though as he studied her demeanor.  She was poised but in a stiff manner and she didn't look around or barely even move.  That wasn't the          Sara he remembered and he didn't like this one bit.  He spoke directly to Sydney, "What has to be done to get her out of the trance?"

            Sydney looked toward Jarod.  He knew Sara wasn't going to react well.  "All I have to do is say a specific command in Russian and she will come out of it."

            "What will she remember?"

            "Everything.  She knows everything that is going on, just can't go against her orders."

            "Why would you do this to her?  She trusts you."

            "I didn't want her going off by herself like last night and she wasn't about to follow Jarod's suggestion so I made it an order."

            "Is that all, an order?"

            "That's all it takes, but it has to be given in Russian and has to be from a ranking member of the Centre.  In her programming, she considers me as one of them."

            Grissom considered that a moment.  He would have to delve into that more later, right now he just wanted her out of the trance.  "Okay, then, say it and get her out of it."

            "Well, it's not going to be quite that simple.  She's going to react badly."

            "What do you mean, react badly?"

            "She may want to kill me."

            "Kill you?  Literally?"

            "Yes.  The last time she was put in the trance, well, let's just say the man had to be on oxygen a very long time."

            "Is there anything that will stop her?"

            "I'm not sure.  That's why we're down here.  If she does anything it will be toward me directly and possibly towards Jarod.

            "Dr. Grissom,"

            "Just Grissom, please."

            "Okay, Grissom, she might be less reactive if you say something to her immediately after coming out of the trance.  It's probably the best we can offer."

            Grissom considered letting her just go through her reaction.  They deserved it after what they did but he knew he wouldn't be able to just stand back and let it.  "Alright, let's proceed."

            Sydney told Sara to turn and face the other way, he then positioned himself about fifteen feet behind Sara before he sent his command.  After he spoke the words, Sara's posture became relaxed and then her eyes darted around in front of her.  It didn't take long for her to remember what had happened to her and why she was down in the gym.  She turned suddenly and saw her target.

            Sara felt like crying immediately after coming out of her trance state.  She knew immediately what happened and recalled who did it.  She looked for him and saw him.  'He's dead.'  She thought as she made her move toward him.

            Grissom had only ever seen the mixture of pain and hate that he now saw in the eyes of Sara when he had dealt with cold-blooded murderers and serial killers.  He didn't like this at all.  "Sara.  Look at me."

            Sara ignored him and lunged for Sydney but Grissom caught her around the waist and hauled her upwards so her feet didn't touch the floor and she continued to try to lunge out after Sydney.  Grissom never realized how strong she was.  

            Sara tried to free herself from the person restraining her but wasn't getting anywhere.  She turned herself around in his arms and nearly did bodily damage before she realized whom it was.  She immediately stiffened and held herself in check.  'Damn, I nearly hurt him.'  Her face told Grissom that she recognized him and that he was damn lucky she did.  He also saw the pain and hate in her eyes replaced with uncertainty, fear and something else he couldn't form the words for.

            Grissom slowly lessened his grip and then let her go altogether.  Sara continued to stare at him for a moment and then with a tremendous amount of self-control, she turned to look at Sydney and Jarod with both hands clenched at her sides.  She glared at them with nothing but malice but didn't utter a word.  Then she suddenly turned and walked up the stairs out of the gym.  Grissom, with a grim look on his face, stared at both of them and then followed Sara out. 

            He let the door slam shut behind him as he turned to see which way Sara had left.  He finally spotted her just as she made it around a corner that led down to the elevator.  He ran hell for leather to catch up with her and when he finally did, she didn't say anything to him or even move to acknowledge he was there.

            Grissom carefully put his hand on her shoulder and turned her around to face him so he could look at her face.  She was crying, silently and her eyes were downcast not wanting to meet his.

            He moved his hand down her arm and pulled her to him in a gentle hug as she continued to cry.  "Sara, what do you want to do?"  He left it up to her knowing that if he tried to make any decisions for her, she would pull away.

"I want to lie down."  She said in a muffled voice since her face was pressed into his chest.  "Will you take me up to my room?"                                    

            "Okay."  The elevator door opened and they stepped in.  "Sara, what floor are you on?"

            "Twelve."  Grissom reached over and pressed the button.  He continued to just hold her.  Unbelievably no one tried to get on the elevator as they finally reached her floor.  She pulled away from him gently as the door opened.  He followed her down to her rooms.  She unlocked the door and moved to walk in and Grissom said, "You should get some rest.  I'll come back later and check on you."

            Sara reached out and latched onto his arm as she spoke.  "Please stay with me.  Hold me for awhile until I fall asleep."              

            Grissom studied her face.  She looked really worn down and like something he had seen so many times before -a victim.  He followed her into her rooms and after glancing quickly around realized it was like a little apartment.

            She walked into her bedroom and motioned for him to follow.  He wasn't sure if this was such a good idea.  Not with the conversation they had earlier that morning but he decided to just let her make the decisions and have the control.  He followed her in.  As he walked in though he started to take a step back as he saw that she had already stripped down to her camisole and panties and was pulling the covers back.  She crawled in then looked over at him and saw the look on his face.  "Grissom, please, hold me.  I'm not a china doll.  I won't break."

            Grissom walked over to the bed pulled the covers up over her and then laid down on top of them.  She instinctively moved closer to him and allowed him to put his arm around her and while she positioned herself against the length of him.  "Sara, do you want to talk about it?"

            When he spoke, it pushed her mind back to where she was before and she started crying all over again.  He held her tighter and allowed her to just cry.  She clutched at him, at his chest and let it all come out in a torrent.  He held her and rubbed her arm up and down while his other hand found hers on his chest and entwined his fingers with hers.  They were like that for several minutes until she stopped crying.  He then heard the soft rhythmic fall of her breathing as he realized she had fallen asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

            Three hours later, Sara awoke with a start.  She felt as though she were being held down and then she remembered.  Grissom still had a hold on her as she lay against him with her head on his chest and with their hands still entwined.  She had never fallen asleep that fast with someone else beside her.  But then Grissom wasn't just anyone.  Deep down she knew she really did trust him, even more than she did Jarod and that said a lot.  She tilted her head slightly to glance at his face.  He slept with a soundness that astounded her.  She had never been able to sleep that soundly.  She couldn't allow it.  She unwound her fingers from his hand and gently lifted his arm off from around her.  Then she quietly left the bed and went to take a shower.

            Grissom hadn't woken up by the time Sara returned to the bed, dressed only in her robe and had her hair up in a towel.  As she glanced down at the sleeping form of Grissom, she removed the towel and shook out her hair and fingered through it.  'It would be so nice to lay back down again.'  He really did care about what happened to her.  Memories came rushing back to her of that day on the airstrip, her gun pointed at his face.  Tears streamed down her face as remembered.  'It was so wrong, so very wrong.'

            Grissom woke up from Sara's rustling around the room.  He squinted slightly to see her at the end of the bed watching him.  He wasn't sure what to do, 'If I move, it might startle her and then she'll clam up again.'  But when he looked closer at her face, he saw the tears flowing freely.  He didn't know what she was thinking about that would cause the tears but he did know he could comfort her.  He slowly sat up and saw the recognition on her face.  He hadn't startled her.  He held out his hand to her and motioned her to come back to the bed.

            Sara slowly made her way to his side of the bed and let him take her hand as he pulled her down to sit next to him.  She reached up with her other hand and ran it through his hair and down along his cheek as she choked out in a whisper, "I'm so sorry, Gil."

            He had never heard her call him by his first name before and it sounded like music to his ears.  "Sara, why? You didn't do anything."

            Sara averted her eyes and tucked her chin into her chest as she spoke, "At the airstrip, I'm sorry.  I never wanted you to see me in that position."

            Grissom didn't move as he talked, not wanting her to pull back from him, "From what I understand, you had no choice.  You reacted instinctively, to protect Greg and the others.  Correct?"

            She shook her head, "No Gil, I always have a choice except when I am in mode.  I didn't have to do that.  It's just that when I make the decision I don't go back on it.  Doing so would only mean death, and that's not an option."

            'In mode must mean that hypnotic trance she was in.' Grissom could understand her actions in some ways and yet in other ways he couldn't understand any of it.  He wanted to, more than anything, but he wouldn't until she told him more.  Pushing her for the information was his only option now.  "Sara, tell me about you, your childhood...your training."

            Sara moved swiftly off the bed as he spoke.  She turned to look at him but he didn't see the belligerence or anger in her eyes that he had seen earlier that morning.  Instead he saw fear and that scared him more than anything.  "No, Gil, please, I can't, I just can't."  She shook her head to try to convey to him how hard it would be.  He stood and was drawn to her by the fear he saw building in her eyes.  The anguish he now felt for what she must have gone through made him choke on the question.  "What did they do to you?"  He startled himself by the tone in his voice.  The pain he felt in his heart at the thought of her childhood was too much and he could feel the build up of an uncomfortable moisture in his eyes.

            Sara saw the pain she felt reflected in his eyes as it made them an even darker blue and the catch in his voice was something she had never heard in him before.  That was something she couldn't handle.  She closed the distance between them by one step.  He pulled her to him in an intense embrace and they stood there clinging to each other.  "It hurts too much to talk about.  It will just bring more pain.  I don't want you to feel that Gil."

"Sara, I want to know.  I want to understand what happened to you, to understand you."  He gently tilted her head up to look at him as he said, "Please talk to me.  Don't keep shutting me out."

            Sara saw the want and concern in his eyes and it was enough.  She would tell him if for no other reason than to erase the pain in his beautiful blue eyes.  She let him lead her to the bed and soon found herself lying against his side once again but with her back to him and her head cradled in the crook of his shoulder.  He turned into her and put his free arm around her stomach.  "How old were you when you were taken?"  He coaxed her.

            "I'm not sure.  I think about four maybe five."  Sara took a deep shuddering breath and then continued.  "I was so scared, I didn't know anyone and even though the man that had taken me from my home seemed nice I still didn't feel right.  I knew they weren't my family.  I soon learned how not nice the man was.  The first couple of days I was coddled and comforted and then wham, it stopped.  Grissom, I don't know what to say, I..., how much do you want me to tell you.  Do you want details or just the reference?  Because I don't know if I can speak of it."

            "Sara," As he spoke he tightened his grip around her.  "I don't want you to say anything you aren't comfortable with saying.  I want to know what happened to you but I don't want it too tear you apart doing so."  He leaned down and kissed the top her head.

            "I became so desensitized to the treatment that to this day I still don't feel as much disgust toward child abuse as you do or as I do about women's abuse.  I think it's because as a child my mind accepted it because I didn't know it wasn't supposed to be that way but when I got older I knew it was wrong."  She took a deep breath and continued.  "As you know, I have a high tolerance of pain.  That was something I learned to deal with through the years of training.  I remember so many of the incidents but can't seem to recall all the injuries.  By the time I was seven I already had several broken bones including my collarbone, both of my arms and legs, five ribs and at least a couple concussions.  Some injuries were from training exercises and some, well, they weren't."

            Grissom laid there as he rubbed her back in a soothing circular motion, and listened to her recall the buried memories.  A couple of times he wiped tears away from his face.  The pain he felt for what she had went through almost seemed too much.  'How could anyone do that to a little girl.'  He wished he could've been there to release her from it.

            After awhile, Sara stopped speaking.  Enough had been said.  She ended without talking about her memories of the 'hole'.  Grissom knew that had been the hardest thing for her to take and it still didn't register with him because of his love for the tiny creatures.  "Sara, I know it's hard but can you tell me about the hole and the bugs? What kind they were and in what way you were sick after being down there?"

            Sara shuddered and when Grissom felt it he wished he could take back his questions.  Going deeper was not what she really wanted to do but the thought that maybe if he could tell her something about those bugs and help her get a handle on her fear caused her to want to talk about it.  She told him the descriptions and then told him how they left her with swelling and the rashes and sometimes she would be taken out of the 'hole' in a coma state.  Grissom nodded at her descriptions and how they affected her; that's precisely what he expected after she described them.  If there truly were as many as she and Jarod said, then he was surprised she wasn't dead.

            "Okay, no more, let's stop there."  Grissom said as he realized his shirt was wet from her tears.  At his words, Sara sat up and looked over at his red eyes.  She hadn't realized he had been crying also.  'Oh God, he's hurting too.'  She thought as she reached up and wiped a watery escapee from his face.  They stared at each other for a long moment as their faces were drawn closer to each other and both of their eyes darted to the other's lips.

            Sara nearly screamed when a knock was heard at her door.  She jumped out of the bed and shook off the uneasiness she felt as she walked out into the living area and opened the door.

            Grissom heard a man's voice and wondered who it could be so he followed her.  What he saw was Sara in a bear hug with a man.  He heard her sharp breathing and wondered who it was that caused that reaction.  Then she and the other man broke apart, both wearing smiles on their faces.  Grissom couldn't believe his eyes as he stared at the young man he barely recognized.


	13. Chapter 13

            Greg was ecstatic to see Sara.  He missed her terribly but now that he was looking at her face he saw the redness and puffy look around her eyes and realized she had been crying.  At that thought he saw a movement behind Sara and was startled to see Grissom.  "Sara what's going on?  Why is Grissom here?"

            Sara smiled to reassure him and said, "Greg, come in and I'll tell you."  Greg stepped around her as she held the door open for him.  Grissom and Greg exchanged forced smiles.

            Grissom's presence had spooked the young man so he remained quiet and let Sara speak.  "Greg, the, umm, team is here for the Forensics conference.  Their first night here they overheard a conversation between Jarod, Jackson, Matt and I.  They know everything and Jarod more or less recruited them into helping us."

            Greg's interest was piqued as he listened.  "You mean their going to help find the person who set you up?"

            Grissom discerned from their conversation that Greg had no idea about the two attempts made on Sara's life.  "And helping to find who is trying to kill her."  

            Greg flinched when Grissom spoke.  It had been awhile since he heard that voice and he had gone through a lot since then.  "What do you mean, trying to kill her?"  He turned to look at Sara who, if he was any judge of character, looked as if she were burning holes into Grissom with the flash in her eyes.  "Sara, what are you trying to hide from me?"

            "I'm sorry Greg, its just, well, I didn't want anyone making such a huge deal about this.  It's not like Jarod and I can't handle it and besides, you just got here.  Do you really think I wanted to pull you into this just after you arrive?"  Sara had lowered her voice slightly to keep from showing how stressed she really felt.

            "Hey, I'm not some breakable china piece and right now my main concern is you.  I've completed the training," He stopped short as he realized what he was saying in front of Grissom and then Sara nodded indicating that that Grissom knew about his training.  "Well, like I was saying, the training is complete and I'm ready to be put to good use."

            "So what did you score?"  Sara grinned at him.  She knew he had done quite well. 

            "Let's just say that Matt will have his hands full if we train together later.  If I had tried to do this right out of high school, well, I wouldn't have made it through the first week.  It's tough, really tough."  He dramatically wiped his hand across his brow, wiping fake perspiration away then grinned and said, "It's quite the learning experience."  After that he glanced at Grissom and offered his hand to him.

            Grissom accepted it and they shook hands.  "It's good to see you Greg.  You look," He hesitated, as he didn't want to come off sounding condescending.  "Well, grown up.  You've changed a lot."

            "I had no choice."  He smiled and continued, "It's really good to see you too.  I've missed everyone.  How are Nick and Warrick?"

            "They're good, a little in shock, I think.  They want to see you I'm sure."  Grissom knew Greg and Nick had been really close before Greg left.  Now that he knew about Greg's brother, he could understand what it meant to Greg to have Nick's friendship.  They were like brothers and he hoped they would be able to patch their friendship back together quickly.

            Greg looked back at Sara and could still see the signs on her face that she had been crying.  He wanted to know why and whether or not it had anything to do with Grissom.  "Sara.  Have you been crying?"

            Sara instantly put up her guard and managed her expression into one she was well trained in using to hide her emotions.  "No, just haven't slept much.  Do you want to get settled in a room and then we can meet later to surprise the others?"

            Greg wasn't about to let it slide.  "No. You have been crying and I want to know why."  He turned to Grissom for information but Grissom shrugged to convey he wouldn't be forthcoming especially not when he had just gained some of Sara's trust.

            "Greg, it's nothing, just reliving some old memories.  I mean really old.  It's nothing to concern yourself with.  I'm fine and will be just fine as always."  Sara wasn't about to tell him about her childhood years.  It was bad enough that Grissom knew some of it.

            Greg learned some things about Sara at HQ and wondered what she would do if she knew that he knew.  He could let it slide for now as long as it had nothing to do with Grissom.  However, he would step in if Grissom in any way hurt her.  "Okay, I'll let it go this time.  Where am I going to be staying?"

            "I'll get you a room down the hall.  I think the last one you were in is still vacant, we'll try for that one."  Sara smiled, she was glad they didn't have to go into it.  She hated it when she cried.  'Why do I cry so much now?'  She wondered.  'I didn't when I was young, but then I wasn't allowed to.'  That thought caused her to scrunch up her face as the memories came back.  She tried to hide the look of disgust but Grissom caught it and she knew he had by the look she saw on his face.  "I need to change.  I'll be out in a minute."  She quickly went into her bedroom and closed the door effectively shutting them out.

            Grissom turned to Greg and looked him up and down as he studied him again.  He was dressed in a dark suit including a tie which made him look more mature.

            Greg felt the eyes on him and turned to Grissom and asked,  "Is she really okay?"

            Grissom knew Greg's reading of people had improved and so chose not to lie to him.  "I don't know Greg.  She's handling it in her own way but I really don't know.  The Sara I used to think I knew isn't at all what she really is.  I'm just now getting to know her all over again.  It's been a rough couple of days."

            Greg looked back at the shut door of her bedroom.  'What was Grissom doing here in her rooms?  Should I ask or maybe its more personal than that?'  Greg wasn't really sure where things stood.  He would check and see later how everyone acted around each other and then maybe ask some direct questions.

            A half hour passed by before Sara came back out dressed in a suit with her hair up again.  She glanced at both of them and could feel the tension in the room and wondered what had been said.  "I umm, need to go check on things for the activities tonight.  Gris would you mind going with Greg to the Pit and find Jarod.  They'll be wanting to see Greg."

            "I wouldn't mind doing that except for the fact that you would then be left alone and Jarod would I'm sure not be happy about it.  With what happened earlier, he doesn't want you left alone."  Grissom didn't know where things stood himself and Sara but he was even more troubled with the fact that he didn't know where things stood between Sara and Jarod.  They were very close and he would need to tread carefully until he knew just how close.  To approach Jarod without Sara in close proximity might upset Jarod in that Sara wasn't being covered.

            "Grissom, consider for a minute that if this woman who is after me could shoot someone dead in the middle of the front lobby with other people around, what's to stop her from shooting me in front of you or anyone else for that matter?  The person with me may just as well have a bulls eye on the back of their head as well, because if it was me doing it, they wouldn't remain alive to be a witness."  Sara's voice had risen slightly as she spoke which caused Grissom to realize that the incident with Sydney and Jarod hadn't been buried and was just waiting to spill over the edge.  "Let's go.  Greg I'll check into getting your room. But you two go down to the Pit."

            "Umm, I don't have a card to get in Sara."  Grissom interrupted her.  He would go along with her decision for now and tell Jarod what was said and then leave it up to him to decide what to do about her being alone.

            "You can use mine.  Have Jarod issue all of you a card to get in and show you how to use it."  Sara handed him her card as she spoke tersely.

            Greg remained silent during this ranting session of hers.  He wasn't one to argue with Sara and he didn't want to begin now.  They all left the apartment and then headed down to the elevator.  She explained to them what to do with the card when she would leave them in the elevator.  They reached the first floor and she got out.

            Sara went to the front desk and reserved the room for Greg and then headed over to the Events counter.  She kept her eyes and ears open and only saw members of the hotel staff.  No member of Jarod's team was present.  She took note of that then went on to check the roster for the evening.  She was scheduled to sing again that night and would need to choose the music but that could wait for a little later.  She needed to think about how to surprise Catherine, Nick and Warrick with Greg's presence.  As she thought about it, she kept tapping the clipboard with her pen.  When she looked down, it dawned on her that since she had to sing that night it might be a good way to surprise the others.  Smiling, she penciled in Greg's name next to hers and the symbol of a star showing it was a guest and surprise.  She glanced around after writing it all down and still only saw hotel staff and nothing had happened as of yet.  'It may be a lead.  I'll have to mention it to Jarod later.'

            Grissom and Greg had made it successfully into the Pit and searched around for Jarod and Sydney.  After searching awhile and not finding them, Greg thought they should check in the gym and just as they were about to head that way they heard a voice behind them.  "Dr. Grissom."

            They turned to see Sydney.  He walked up to them and asked, "Are you looking for Jarod?"

            Grissom replied, "Yes, do you know where he might be?"

            "He and Matt went out to canvas the area that they think the shooter was positioned when Sara was hit."  Sydney glanced at Greg and held out his hand.  "It's good to see you again Greg."

            "Likewise, Sydney."  Greg took his hand and they shook then Sydney turned to Grissom.

            "How is Sara doing?"  Sydney really had wanted to see her himself but knew that she probably didn't feel likewise.

            Grissom acknowledged the other man with a nod.  "She's better but still quite upset.  I think it would be best to keep your distance for awhile yet."  Grissom didn't want Sydney anywhere near her at this point.  He didn't know enough about Sydney to trust him and from what he could gather -Sydney had been a former member of the Centre's hierarchy.  He didn't like where his thoughts led to in regard to him.

            Greg watched the interaction between the two men with interest.  Their stance toward each other was something to behold.  Grissom's body language read "back off" and Sydney's seemed "repentant".  He was going to have to find out what happened because it might have something to do with why Sara had been crying earlier.  Maybe Matt would fill him in but he'd have to wait and see.  "Grissom, maybe we should find Jarod and Matt and see if they need us for anything.  Plus we need to get Jarod to issue more security cards for the others like Sara said."

            "I tell you what Greg, you track them down and I'm going to go back and get some papers I need to be searching through for more evidence.  But don't let the others see you.  I think Sara wants to surprise them."  Grissom then walked off toward the elevator and left Greg and Sydney to stare after him.

            "I'm going to track Jarod down and then see what Sara wants me to do tonight.  I'll talk to you later Sydney."  Greg nodded at the older man and then sauntered off in the same direction that Grissom had just taken.

            Sydney smiled at both of the men as they left.  'So much alike in many ways.'  He was glad Sara had such good friends.

            Grissom arrived back at his room and immediately located the papers he had left with Nick down in the lounge earlier when he confronted Sydney and Jarod about Sara.  With the papers, he went into his bedroom and sat on the bed then proceeded to organize them into piles designated by guest, staff and team members.  The guest pile was quite long and he decided that since they had all agreed it had to be someone on the staff or in the team, he put the guests' statements back in the file.  That's when it hit him that there were only three statements left of the agents:  Matt Calhoun, Jackson Haisley and Margot Alexander.  He didn't know anything about any one of them but had discerned the closeness of Matt and Jackson to Sara and didn't think it could be either of them since they were male.  That left Margot.  He stared at her papers for awhile and then left the bedroom to get something to drink.  As he was getting some tea, he remembered that both Matt and Jackson had made mention of Margot.  He would have to go back and check their statements.

            In the meantime, Greg had located Jarod and Matt who welcomed him with huge smiles and handshakes.  "So you guys wanna' fill me in on what's been happening?  I was just with Sara and Grissom and things seemed a little tense."

            Matt and Jarod shared looks that told Greg that Grissom and Sara weren't just tense for no reason.  Jarod however declined to say anything so Matt grabbed Greg by the shoulder and steered him away as Jarod continued to look for evidence of the shooter.  "Greg, an attempt was made on Sara's life.  She was on the beach last night and as Jarod approached her and said her name, she turned around, effectively missing being shot in the head.  She was grazed however and spent the night in the infirmary.  We think the person doing this may be the same one that set her up in Vegas to get her to run to Jarod.  However, since you called Jarod and Sara didn't run to him it probably made things harder for her so she may be feeling desperate now."

            "Wait, you said her, you think it's a woman?  Why?"  Greg learned well at the farm and his question hit the mark squarely.

            "Well, Sara had received a note yesterday afternoon when Kristie was killed.  It was placed in her hand during the melee as the press conference ended.  She didn't see who gave it to her."  Matt couldn't understand how Sara, trained as she was, could have missed something like that and to top it off so did Agent Alexander who was standing right by her.  "The note said, 'I won't let you have him this time, now he will be mine,' and so from that we believe it's a woman and probably a member of the Hotel staff or Jarod's team.'

            Greg spun his head toward Matt when he mentioned that they thought it was a member of the staff or team.  "No way, your kidding right?  Someone Jarod may have hired?  They would've had to have been hired very recently then.  Why someone of the staff or team?"

            "Kristie was killed while she filled in for Sara and Sara was shot down at the beach.  So far that is two times a hit was made while Sara was following her 'daily routine'.

            "No wonder."  Greg shook his head. "Anything else I should know before I go look up Sara again?"

            "Well there might be but it's stuff that only Sara should tell you.  Why are you going to find her?"

            "She wants to surprise Cath, Nick and Warrick tonight with my return.  I'm almost afraid to find out what it will be."  Greg winced as he considered the possibilities.

            "Well just remember, whatever it is she wants you to do, do it.  She's had a really rough day and she deserves a little fun tonight."  Matt put his hand on Greg's shoulder.  "Greg, it's good to have you back."

            "Thanks, it's good to be back."  Greg smiled and then walked off in search of Sara.


	14. Chapter 14

            Nick walked out of his bedroom and headed over to get a soda from the fridge when Grissom came out of his sporting a bright blue, short-sleeved shirt and black Dockers.  They had all planned on going to the lounge to blow off steam before heading down to the Pit for another meeting with Jarod and Sydney.  Sara would sing tonight and this time she would know they were there.  Nick opened and took a long drink of his soda as he made his way out onto the balcony.  The night was balmy with just a shiver of a breeze.  'I could definitely get used to this.'  He thought as Grissom stepped out onto the balcony with a beer in hand and stood against the railing next to Nick.

            "You've been locked in your room for several hours Gris, anything wrong?"  Nick understood that Sara had been pulled out of her trance but didn't know what else had taken place after that.

            Grissom stared out at the view they had of the ocean and the lounge down below.  It was breathtaking tonight as the full moon shown overhead.  He envisioned his hands slowly gliding against her silky skin as he wound his hands and arms around Sara standing underneath this moonlight glow.  "Just thinking Nick, just thinking."  He replied with a sigh.

"About the case or about Sara?"  Nick saw the look in Grissom's eyes and already knew the answer to the question.

            "Both."  Grissom ran his hand through his hair and then turned around and leaned back against the railing as he took a swig of his beer.  "I'm worried about Sara.  She doesn't want anyone keeping tabs on her and following her around.  She says she can handle it alone but, I don't know, she's out in the open too much.  I just don't know."

            Nick thought about what had been said and realized how much Grissom cared for Sara.  He had known before that Grissom had feelings for her of course, but now it just seemed to be more real.  He considered what they had been told about her, her background, training and her lack of family.  At that thought he had a flash of memory of a little girl in pigtails at a birthday party when he was a small boy.  She was adorable and although a smile tugged out at that memory, a tense and sad feeling washed over him.  He didn't understand.  'Why am I thinking of some little girl from so long ago?'  He shook himself to clear the image.

            Grissom noticed Nick's movement and turned to ask him about it when he caught a glimpse of Catherine.  She was wearing some kind of sarong type dress and sandals and her hair was wavy in the way she sometimes chose to wear it.

            Nick heard her approach and turned to see her walk through the balcony doors.  "Woo hoo, Cath, don't you look like you're ready for a party?"  He grinned as he caught her off guard with his comment.

            Catherine laughed as she did a little spin for them to show off her dress.  "I bought it just before we came down here.  I saw it and almost didn't get it.  Now I'm glad I did."  And then she winked at Nick.

            They noticed Warrick as he left his room and they all nodded at each other that it was time to head down to the lounge so they walked back inside and motioned to Warrick that they were ready to leave.

            Meanwhile, in a room, two floors above them, a reluctant Greg and insistent Sara rehearsed for the events to soon follow.  They had only done this once before just before Greg left for the farm and wanted to make sure they didn't goof up again.  After rehearsing several times, they headed down to the lounge.

            Grissom, Nick, Warrick and Catherine arrived and wandered through the massive crowd as all the tables were full this night.  During their time at the seminar, they met several of the guests and so stopped to speak with a few of them.  Grissom acknowledged a few of his colleagues in the area of entomology and of course other areas of forensics.  Amidst a conversation, he turned to see Sara and Greg sneak behind the stage.  He grinned as he realized what Sara had planned and so he motioned to the rest of his team to move towards the back of the room where Matt and Jackson had already found a table and were enjoying a couple of drinks.  It was quickly noticed that Jarod and Sydney were both absent.  'Just as well,' Grissom smiled as he considered the thought of not having to share Sara with Jarod and without her being under the influence of him and Sydney.  He didn't know what there was between Jarod and Sara, but he hoped it wasn't the deep feelings like he held for her.  He would have to bide his time and wait to see how she felt towards Jarod.

            They took their seats and just as they got comfortable, the lead singer of the band again did his announcement like the first night they arrived.  "As many of you are already aware, every night a member of the management sings with the band."  As he was talking, the music started and the song they played was "Cruisin'" by Smokey Robinson but it had a slightly different rhythm to it.  "Tonight we welcome Public Relations Liaison, Sara Sidle."  Several of the guests and even Nick, Warrick and Catherine joined in hooting and hollering their welcome for Sara.

            Sara took the steps up onto the stage and the visibility from the lights allowed those in the back to see her.  She wore a blouse that was cropped and tied together just under her breasts allowing her abdomen to show through and she had on a long wrap around skirt, both were white with flecks of color all through them.  She smiled and made eye contact with the team and Matt and Jackson as she swayed to the music.  Then just when everyone thought she was going to start, they heard a male voice from the side of the stage.  The team at first couldn't see who it was but recognized the voice and stared at each other until they caught the movement of the man with the voice make his way onto the stage while Sara broke into her part of the song.  The team stood up and clapped and hollered more -making Greg and Sara smile but almost messing them up.  Greg stepped closer to Sara and then they held hands as they sang the song.  

            When they finished, the crowd stood and erupted into applause.  Sara announced, "This is Greg, a dear friend, who just flew in and was gracious enough to join me on stage."  There was more clapping and someone yelled out for Sara to continue.  "Alright, wait, let me get a drink and a breather and then I'll sing again in a little while."  She smiled at everyone and then she and Greg stepped off the stage.  They made their way to the back until they were literally run over by Catherine, Nick and Warrick as they greeted him with hugs and even some tears.  Greg realized that the tears weren't just from his friends but that they came from him as well.

            Catherine noticed the lack of Grissom in their group and she turned to see him sitting at the table with a drink in hand but with a huge smile on his face.  "You," She pointed at Grissom. "You knew all along that he was here and you didn't tell us."  Grissom started to laugh at the expression on Catherine's face and nodded that he did know.

            "Man, that is just not right, Gris."  Nick looked almost shocked that Grissom hadn't said anything earlier.  Warrick on the other hand just stood there and shook his head; it was more like Grissom than he had ever seen.

            They took seats around the table and then the waitress brought a round of drinks for everyone, except Sara.  "Hey you forgot to bring Sara a drink."  Nick said as he looked over toward Sara and then back at the waitress.

            "No she didn't.  Go ahead Stef, just bring me a club soda with a lemon."  Sara motioned for the waitress to go ahead as she turned back to Nick and the others.  "They don't bring any drinks to me unless I specifically request it.  And I'm not drinking tonight if any of you are wondering."

            The band began playing "Sexy Eyes", a Dr. Hook song and one that she loved to dance to.  Matt knew this about Sara so he stood and walked around the table then held out his hand to her.  She smiled up at him and took his hand so he could lead her out to the floor.  They did a little swing dancing and some close dancing and then back to the swing dancing.

            The crew watched in amazement at how Sara danced so freely after going through what she did earlier in the day.  It seemed like it wasn't even on her mind.  At the same moment they were watching her, all eyes turned slightly to see Sydney and Jarod make their way through the crowd.  Sydney didn't continue with Jarod to the table but he remained by the bar.  When the song finished and a slow one began, he stepped out to Sara and Matt and cut in.  Sara gave him a small smile as he took her into the dance and they rotated in slow and leisurely movements around the room.  With the smiles firmly embedded in both their faces, they finally spoke and then the smiles became a little larger.  They made up.

            Grissom watched with interest as well as everyone else.  He didn't understand how Sara could get over what happened to her so quickly.  'I know I couldn't.'  He thought as he considered them for a few minutes as they danced.  He wouldn't be able to understand it until he knew more about Sara and more about this Centre place.

            Nick thought about taking a turn with Sara.  She really seemed alive tonight.  His thought of dancing with her was dashed though as the song ended and she made her way to the stage again to sing another song.  

            Sara stepped up onto the stage and got to the microphone to announce the song.  "I recently found myself in a situation similar to the one in this song.  It's a favorite one of mine and now holds special meaning for me.  I'd like to sing it for you.  It's called "What I Meant to Say."  With her eyes closed, the words flowed out of her with a Siren's rhythm.

_It took me by surprise_

_When I saw you standing there_

_Close enough to touch_

_Breathing the same air_

_You asked me how I'd been_

_I guess that's when I smiled and said just fine_

_Oh but baby I was lying_

            Grissom watched her face intently waiting for her eyes to open, to see the look he hoped he would see.  Sara felt the unbidden pull of Grissom's will penetrate into her own as she gazed upward and met his eyes directly but the words carried her back to that moment and she again felt them grow heavy and close.

_What I really meant to say_

_Is I'm dying here inside_

_I miss you more each day_

_There's not a night I haven't cried_

_And baby's here's the truth_

_I'm still in love with you_

_That's what I really meant to say_

            Hearing the pain in Sara's voice, Catherine recalled the moment Grissom and Sara spoke for the first time since the incident at the airstrip.  'Sara couldn't have picked a better song.'

_And as you walked away_

_The echo of my words_

_Cut just like a knife_

_Cut so deep it hurt_

_I held back the tears_

_Held on to my pride and watched you go_

_I wonder if you'll ever know_

_What I really meant to say_

_Is I'm dying here inside_

_I miss you more each day_

_There's not a night I haven't cried_

_And baby's here's the truth_

_I'm still in love with you_

_That's what I really meant to say_

            Sara felt the gut wrenching pain inside of her as she remembered her loss of the one man she loved when she showed him her true self in defense of her friends.   With a plea for forgiveness she stole the gaze of his eyes as she finished the song.

_What I really meant to say_

_Is I'm really not that strong_

_No matter how I try_

_I'm still holding on_

_And here's the honest truth_

_I'm still in love with you_

_That's what I really meant to say_

            As the song died away and Sara came back to the full room of patrons now on their feet applauding and whistling, she smiled and looked around to those closest to the stage and then she slowly backed away from the microphone then gracefully turned and left the stage walking out the same way she entered.

            Catherine quickly turned to see Grissom's expression but he was no longer in his seat.  Everyone at the table still had their eyes on Sara's retreating form and hadn't noticed Grissom's departure.  She couldn't see him in the crowd of guests as they continued to stand and mingle amongst themselves.  Jarod had stood as if prepared to go after Sara and was stopped just before he could leave by a hand on his arm.  "No, let them deal with this in their own way."  Catherine spoke quietly but was still heard by everyone else at the table.  Jarod turned to see that Grissom had left the group and nodded in understanding.

            Sara at first slowly walked away from the lounge but soon found her pace speed up as the tears started to fall down her face.  'God, I am such a cry baby.'  Oh how she hated to feel so helpless and out of control.  It wasn't like her.  She had entered a dark and secluded area on the side of the hotel and in her distraction paid no heed to the dark profile that approached and grabbed her almost violently from the side.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N:  Wow!  Thank you so much for the reviews.  For the interest shown, here are chapters 15 and 16.

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            Grissom quickly reconsidered his actions as he took in the situation he had placed himself in by grabbing Sara. It was dark, secluded and she was alone.  'Not too smart Gris.'  He thought as he let go of her before she could lay into him as if he was an attacker.  "Sara, it's me Grissom."

            Sara spun around seriously thinking of committing bodily damage to her assailant when she heard him speak.  "God damn it, Grissom!  What are you doing?"

            Grissom saw the tears glinting off of her face and moved his hand up to smooth them away.  Sara flinched before Grissom's hand found it's destination but he continued anyway.  "Sara?"  

            The uncertainty in Grissom's eyes and the soft low tone of his voice as he left the spoken question open were her undoing.  She swayed forward a little, just enough to motivate Grissom to step forward to take her in his arms.  She felt his fingertips and then the palms of his hands caressing her sides then the small of her back.  Gently tilting her face upward, he leaned down and tentatively tasted the saltiness of her tears mixed with the sweetness of her mouth.  Time hushed all things until they both sensed the sweetness change to passion.

            Sara gently pulled out of the kiss and eluding his face and his eyes, laid her face against his chest, clinging to him as though her life depended on it. Without a word, they both understood what the other wanted. Grissom took the lead as they turned to the hotel.  

            She left the rooms darkened as she turned in the direction of her bedroom.  Pulling Grissom with her, she felt Grissom's resistance.  Cognizant of their shared passion, she turned back to him puzzled yet eager to continue building the fervor she was feeling.

            "Sara," he whispered bringing her hand to his lips.  "I want this more than anything we have ever shared."  He took her other hand in his and gently smoothed it.  "Whatever the future holds for us, you have to be sure this is right for you, for us."

            Sara stepped closer into his personal space to trace her fingers along his hairline and down to the back of his neck pulling his lips to her mouth, joining them as words never could. She wanted to feel his skin touching hers; no more barriers and no more doubts. They had traveled here once before but had allowed time and distance to build walls that were finally beginning to crumble…to dust.  "Grissom, no regrets, no demands, no fears.  Make love to me here, now.  No more wasted time and no more useless speculation on what we already know is true."

            Grissom acknowledged her words; he had recently thought them himself. As she stepped backwards into her bedroom, he pulled her close as he shut the door.  Reaching for the knot in front of her blouse, she watched as Grissom's expression darkened.  The smile of a woman desired was unnoticed by him as he reached for her hands.  She kept him from reaching her by taking another step back. She steadily retreated as he tried to "help" her until she succeeded in undoing the knot.  She let the garment fall to the floor and saw a look fill Grissom's face she was never to forget. Sara wore nothing underneath the blouse.

            She smiled sinfully as she reached down for the knot on her hip holding her skirt together.  Before she could reach it, Grissom grabbed both of her wrists and pinned them behind her waist. He kissed her with the full force of his passion and when the backs of her legs touched the bed they fell onto it. He lay next to her, one hand grasping her hair as he leaned forward to kiss her.  She felt his free hand searching her body finally reaching its destination.  As she felt Grissom gently knead her firm breast, a moan escaped through their lips neither knowing from whom it came.  Sara arched into Grissom as his hand drifted down below her mid-section and came to rest on the knot of her skirt. He deftly undid the knot and shifted the skirt away from around her waist, stopping almost shocked as he realized she wore nothing underneath it.  She sighed in relief as her legs became free and she was open to him.

            While he had been concentrating on getting her skirt off, she had been just as quick unbuttoning his shirt and started it sliding down off his shoulders.  Her hands went for other prey and found their way behind his waistband. She sat up and pushed him down to the bed as she unzipped his pants and tugged them off along with his boxers. He could feel her heat as she slowly straddled him until her heat met his. She leaned forward and let her lips graze his and surprised him when she moved to join their two bodies into one. She opened her eyes to see his close as he welcomed her warmth surrounding him. While he supported her she slowly raised herself as their dance began. When the music peaked, she felt him pull her close to let the music slowly fade, lulling them into a deep slumber brought on by pleasurable exhaustion.

            Normally, Sara found she only slept three or four hours but by the time they had fallen asleep it had only been around ten o'clock, so she was surprised to see that when she woke it was just about six a.m.  Never in her memories had she ever slept a full eight hours.  She peered over at the clock again and confirmed the time.  She looked up at the face of the man sleeping with her and realized the reason behind her long sleep.  She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly to regain her balance so that she would be able to quietly slip away from him and the bed.  She wasn't going to be able to shower before Greg arrived so she quickly donned her training uniform then pulled her hair back into a ponytail.  As she slipped on her shoes, she heard a movement on the bed.

            Grissom sat up as he saw Sara standing at the end of the bed.  He wasn't sure if she was actually leaving or just going into the main area of her "apartment".  He looked up into her eyes as she turned around and saw her startled expression turn into a frown.  "Grissom, go back to sleep."

            "What's going on Sara?  Are you going somewhere?"  Grissom felt confused.  'Why would she be leaving now?  Regrets?'

            Sara saw the look that appeared on his face.  Her poor Grissom didn't know what to think.  She walked over to the bed and sat next to him.  She trailed her fingers down his cheek as she leaned in for a kiss.  "I wanted to be fully dressed when Greg arrives so as not to give him anymore shock then he already has.  He's supposed to be here any minute."

            "Why?"  Grissom didn't remember hearing anything about that last night.

            "He wants to train with me this morning.  He and I discussed that yesterday while we rehearsed."  She smiled at him as the understanding appeared on his face.  "Why don't you sleep awhile longer and then come down with the others later around eight or nine.  The seminar won't start again until ten so that would give us time to have breakfast."

            "Yeah okay, but be careful please?"  Grissom touched her face and then they leaned in together for a kiss when a knock was heard on the door to her rooms.  She walked out shutting the door behind her and then answered the other one.  Greg appeared in an all black outfit and looked Sara up and down.  She could see in his expression that he hadn't expected her to remember about their plans for the morning.  "Hi, Greg."

            "Oh, you're ready.  I didn't think you'd still be up for it."  Greg didn't stutter but said his words slowly choosing them carefully.

            "Greg, let's go."  Sara sighed knowing where Greg's thoughts were.  She wasn't about to go into last night with Greg.  She shut the door behind her soundlessly.

            An hour later, Grissom woke back up to the empty bed and tried to remember where it was that Sara went.  'Oh, yeah, she's with Greg.'  He got out of bed, dressed and then made his way back to his own room.  He jumped in the shower right away.  When he finished and stepped out he could smell the aroma of coffee.  'Catherine must be up.'  He didn't want to talk to her this morning because the first thing she would be wondering is about him and Sara.  He reluctantly got dressed and went out to the kitchen portion of their suite and poured himself a cup of coffee.  While he took a drink of the coffee he spied Catherine out on the balcony in her robe and reading some papers.  Her hair was up in a towel so he knew she was pretty much ready to start the day.  He decided to just get it over with and slowly made his way to take a seat at the table on the balcony across from her.  He barely made eye contact with her as he sat down and she glanced up at him.  She hid her face again in the papers and then after a few moments passed, she asked, "How is she?"

            'Here we go.'  Grissom sighed, "She's just fine."

            "I'm sure she is."  Catherine was able to hide her smirk with her coffee cup as she took a drink.

            "Catherine, don't go there."  Grissom frowned at her, which just made her smile bigger.

            "Grissom, you just confirmed my thoughts.  You should be careful of the things you say."  She laughed at the look he gave her.  He was so readable at this moment and he never had been before in the many years she had known him.  'Sara must have rocked his world.'  "There's a first time for everything."  She said dryly.

            Grissom looked her up and down and then stood with his cup of coffee and mumbled, "This wasn't our first."  Then he walked off into the kitchen area to refill his cup, leaving Catherine with a stunned look on her face.

            Nick and Warrick picked that moment to come out of their rooms and both headed straight for the kitchen.  "Coffee is definitely a must this morning."  Nick said groggily.

            "Hey, man, not so loud, would ya'?"  Warrick held his head with one hand while pouring a coffee with the other one.

            "Late night boys?"  Grissom asked amused.

            "We could ask the same of you, Gris?"  Nick turned to Grissom with his characteristically large smile on his face.

            Grissom raised his eyebrows and then frowned at Nick and Warrick as he said, "Don't start.  Catherine just got shot down with the same thought."

            "Oh, and what thought was that?"  Warrick asked still holding his head.

            "What do you mean, not your first time?"  Catherine asked in a huff as she stepped into the kitchen area and glared at Grissom.

            "Okay, enough.  This line of conversing will stop here.  Sara would not appreciate us talking about her or my love life.  Just a few days ago we thought she was guilty of a federal crime and now we're discussing her sex life."  Grissom stared each of them down.  "No more."  He walked off and tossed back at them, "We should meet them down in the Pit in about forty-five minutes so you might want to get finished dressing."  Then he closed his bedroom door behind him.

            "He's right that was really bad of us."  Warrick said as he stared after his friend.

            "I just don't want to see him get hurt."  Catherine turned back to Warrick after staring at Grissom's door.  "It just seems a little fast for them."

            "Wait, what did you mean by your question to Grissom Cath?"  Nick asked.

            Catherine smiled.  "He said it wasn't their first time."  Two sets of eyebrows shot up at her comment.

            "No way.  All that time spent flirting and touching and they were actually, well, you know, involved."  Nick shook his head.

            "Maybe not.  Their frustration was thick enough to be cut with a knife so he may have meant that from when they knew each other before."  Warrick said as he looked back and forth between Catherine and Nick.

            They just stood there and shook their heads.  Deciding it was best as Grissom had said to just drop it, they each headed back to their rooms.


	16. Chapter 16

            Greg, sweat coating his face, stood against one of the walls in the hallway with his gun held in a ready position.  As he reached the corner he quickly looked around it and scanned the open area.  'Damn, where is she?'  He shook his head.  'She's got to be around here somewhere.'  He moved out into the area near the elevator with his gun held in both hands pointed downward and he again scanned the area but still not seeing her.  He heard the ping of the elevator as it reached the top floor of the Pit.  The doors opened and out came Grissom, Nick, Warrick and Catherine all talking and laughing but were assaulted with disturbingly loud music which their laughing and talking made even worse.  'Damn but they're noisy.'  Greg thought as he tried to motion them to move out of the area but they didn't understand what was going on as they realized he had a gun in his hand.

            Grissom and the others looked around frantically thinking that something was happening.  Grissom thought to himself, 'God, I can't even hear myself think.' Greg tried to tell them to back up and get away from him but they didn't hear him.  So instead, they approached and started to ask questions about what was going on.  He didn't stand a chance.  All he ever knew was the feel of the sting on his forehead and then the dripping of a red liquid onto his face and nose.  "Damn it!  I'm dead."

            All of a sudden, each of the others reached up to feel the back of their heads as something stung them.  Their actions were so synchronized that it almost appeared as if they were at a ball game performing the Wave.  When they brought their hands forward they were covered in the same red liquid.  At that moment, Greg observed the stealthy movements of Sara as she appeared out of the pitch-black alcove next to the elevator behind the four team members.  Greg stared at her between Nick and Warrick's heads as she steadily approached.  "Greg, you're dead and you got your friends killed also.  Never ever let yourself get distracted.  You keep your eyes and ears open at all times to your surroundings."

            Catherine spun around to see Sara standing behind them holding her gun in the same position Greg had earlier, pointing to the ceiling.  "What the hell are you thinking Sara?  We just got dressed and hauled our asses down here for what?  To get paint stains on our heads and clothes?"

            Sara gave Catherine a deadly stare as she stepped forward and walked past her.  "You know, yesterday, Jarod and Sydney wanted someone with me at all costs, so much so, that they took away my choice and control.  Then Grissom wanted to have Greg or himself in attendance over me to protect me.  So I'll let you guys all in on a little secret."  She sneered at them while waving the gun around in the air in front of them.  "You will all die if you aren't more observant to the situations you walk into.  This woman, like me, is trained to kill.  She won't stop until her "job' is done and leaving witnesses behind is not an option just as it isn't with me.  Anyone who is with me and sees her make the hit is dead and they don't necessarily need to see her.  Got it!"  She spun around to face Greg.  "Greg, you're good, really good.  But you let yourself get distracted way to easy.  Three other times I could have taken the hit because you allowed your attention to be diverted.  You get sent on a mission, nothing else matters.  Nothing."

            Grissom held on tightly to his belief that Sara was only trying to get her point across and that she really wasn't as cold as she now appeared.  His thoughts ran wild with images of Sara, the way she acted now and the way she was the night before.  It seemed like two totally different people.  Catherine, on the other hand, wasn't going to take this abuse from Sara lying down.  "You made your point Sara but you don't need to scare us half to death and wave a gun in our faces to get the point across."

            Sara, now facing Catherine, took a step closer to her but wasn't able to fulfill her desire to give Catherine a proper set down because she was interrupted by a voice behind her.

            Jarod and Sydney had witnessed the whole scene from the vantage point of the conference room and had steadily walked up behind her.  When Sydney saw her about to tear into Catherine he stepped in and addressed Sara in Russian again.  "Sarsha, enough!"

            Grissom upon hearing the command and not understanding what was said let his fear for Sara take over and rebuked Sydney for his comment.  "No!  Don't you dare do that to her again."

            Before he could get past Sara to reach Sydney, Sara stepped in front of him and held Grissom back from attacking.  "No, Grissom, don't it's okay.  It isn't a command.  He just needed to get my attention." Grissom stole a glance at her face and saw that she was in control.  He took a step back and released his pent up feelings in a rush of air as he exhaled.  Sara turned to the team and continued, "I am not going to apologize for what I did or said.  I meant it.  This is just the type of situation I am afraid of happening with this woman.  We can't be distracted."  

            She then turned her attention to Sydney but spoke in Russian.  "Thank you Syd.  I needed that."  As she finished talking, their attentions were drawn to a sudden change in the music that played in the background.  Sara stared at the intercom in the ceiling as if she could see the stereo itself.  The music had gone from playing a hard, fast-paced song to a slow classical one.   She and Jarod shared a look of curiosity.  "Jarod, who would be in the Control Room changing the pre-selected music?"

            "I don't know of anyone who would be able to change it except for those of us present here with the exception of Matt and Jackson."  Footsteps drew their attention down the hallway as Matt and Jackson approached.

            "Finally, someone changed the music."  Jackson smiled in relief.

            "You didn't change it?"  Jarod asked him.  Jackson shook his head and they all turned to Matt, but he shrugged his shoulders and said, "I liked what was playing.  I wouldn't have changed it."

            Jarod and Sara quickly walked away with the others following close behind.  They went down a hallway on the far side of the Pit and reached a door that stood ajar.  Sara reached down for her other gun that was strapped to her thigh and pulled it out and held it at the ready.  Those following close behind stopped as they saw her actions and began backing away as Matt and Jackson pushed through them to back up Sara and Jarod.  Jarod allowed Sara to take the lead and as she reached the door, she maneuvered herself against the wall and then with her left hand pushed the door slowly, allowing a better view.  Jarod peaked around her as he had also positioned himself against the wall next to her and Matt along with Jackson stood on the other side of the door.  Sara slowly began to make her way into the room and stopped suddenly when she saw a figure sitting in the chair in front of the controls.  "Don't move."  The person in the chair sat very still.  "Put your hands up in the air slowly."

            Jarod and Matt both entered behind Sara.  Jarod could now see the figure and shook his head as he started to chuckle.  "Joshua, what are you doing here?"  Grissom and the others listened to the commands then the question and slowly made their way into the room.

            They saw Sara still pointing her gun at the perpetrator and never once let her stance or eyes waver.  Jarod approached her as the perpetrator asked, "Jarod, can I put my hands down now?"  Jarod slowly touched Sara's arm and said, "Sara, it's okay.  He's not a problem."  Sara blinked and then lowered her gun but still kept it at the ready.  "Okay, Josh, you can put your hands down now."

            Joshua did as Jarod said then stood up and turned around.  Sara gasped as she took a step toward him.  "Jarod?"  She whispered and then touched Joshua's face.  "How can this be?"  She abruptly stopped and shook her head as if to clear it then turned partially around to look at Jarod and then back at Joshua.  "What's going on Jarod?"

            "Sara, this is Joshua."  Jarod introduced them as he closed the distance.  "Joshua this is Sara."  They shook hands but Sara's eyes strayed back up to Jarod's face.  "Your son?" Jarod shook his head as he and Sara continued to stare at each other.  "But he looks just like you at that age.  If he isn't your son then who..." Her eyebrows rose and her eyes seemed to enlarge as she processed the explanation.  "They wouldn't.  They couldn't do that."  She tried to read the answer that she wanted to see in Jarod's eyes but only read the impossible.  "Your clone?" She said it as if it left a bad taste in her mouth.

            Grissom and the others heard the one-sided conversation but didn't comprehend it.  'Clone?' Grissom thought.  'That's not possible.'

            "They just don't know when to quit.  The Triumvirate just has to keep pushing the borders."  Sara sputtered off as her eyes drifted back down to the young man, the young Jarod in front of her.  She paused as she realized her words and how they must sound to the boy.  "I, I'm sorry Joshua.  I didn't mean..." She tried to apologize but didn't really know what to say to him.

            "It's okay.  Your reaction is understandable."  Joshua interrupted her rambling and tried to help Sara through it with a smile on his face.  "You should have seen Jarod's face when he discovered me."  Jarod squeezed his shoulder in a brotherly fashion.

            Sara couldn't seem to remove the look of astonishment from her face.  "He's just like you were.  It's almost like being back in time."  She sat down on one of the other chairs and continued to look at him with her Grissom face and finally after a few minutes of silence in the room she spoke, "Where have you been living?"

            Joshua looked up at Jarod and then back to Sara as he answered,  "I've been living between Jarod, Sydney and Miss Parker and also the Major."

            "Who is the Major?"  She asked as she looked back between the two.

            "My father, Sara.  I found him a couple years before we raided the Centre."  Jarod smiled with the happiness of a child.  "And then he helped me get Joshua out of the Centre and into safety."

            "Are we understanding this correctly?  He's a clone of you?"  Nick interrupted and pointed at Jarod as he asked the question everyone else was trying to figure out the answer to.

            Jarod realized they weren't alone and turned to Nick and the others.  "Yes, he is.  The Triumvirate had been researching the possibility clear back from the moment they got their hands on me."

            "Well, Joshua it's really nice to have met you.  I think Jarod probably wants to speak with you and I need to get back to training with Greg.  Umm, I would appreciate it if you would put the stereo back to what it was playing before for our training purposes," Sara stood and moved to walk past the group as she spoke but turned back to Joshua and continued, "and maybe later we can have our own chat."

            "I would like that Sara."  Joshua smiled up at her with earnest and then turned to change the stereo settings for her.  'I am so glad I came here.'  He thought as he switched the dials.

            Sara walked past Grissom and the others then nudged Greg on the arm indicating he should follow her.  She wanted to get out of there and get rid of the feeling that she was in some kind of time loop.  'That was too eerie.'

            Greg and Sara continued with their training but in the gym with hand-to-hand combat.  They weren't interrupted again.  Grissom, Catherine, Nick and Warrick went to the conference and Matt and Jackson went over the files that Grissom brought down for them to research on Margot.

            Jarod and Sydney took Joshua with them and discussed his presence there.  What they discovered would have to be discussed with Sara much later that day or maybe even the next day.  Right now was not the time to add to the current situation.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N:  I am so amazed at the interest shown again in this fic and of Her.  It's truly amazing.  Thank you for the reviews.

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            The lunch hour was fast approaching when Sara finally noticed the time and that Greg's face was red and he was breathing hard, not unlike herself.  "Greg, we need to stop.  I have actual work that has to be done.  Do you want to try again tomorrow?"

            "Aw, come on Sara.  I know I can take you this time.  I can feel it."  Greg's attempt at sarcasm went unnoticed by Sara as she started heading off to the locker room.  Greg collapsed onto the floor mats after he saw she had disappeared from view.  The 'invisible' weights in his legs made it hard for him to stand erect.  A few moments went by as he closed his eyes and lay there when he felt a shadow fall over his form.  He opened his eyes again to see Sara standing over him, and of all the things he wanted to see, her smiling face was not one of them.

            "Come on Greg.  Go take a shower.  I'm going to head up to my rooms and change then do some paperwork in my office."  Sara pulled her hair back into a clip and then reached down for him to grab her hand so she could pull him up.  "Do you want to meet at the Events counter around four and we can wait until the conference gets over for Grissom and the others?  I was thinking of getting them dinner tonight to make sure there are no hard feelings."

            "Yeah, we better.  Hey, you know, you were right don't you?  You're not feeling guilty about it are you?"  Greg agreed with the way she handled the situation earlier.  They chose to put themselves in harms way when they decided to help Sara.  They needed the reminder of how dangerous it is.  He loved how Sara's mind worked and how she was able to easily slip into the required unemotional state of the work.

            "No, Greg, I'm not feeling guilty but I am sure they are confused about why I do the things I do."  Sara pulled him off the floor and steered him in the direction of the locker room while she veered off for the stairs.

            "I'll meet you at four then and Sara, be careful."  Greg winked at her to let her know he wasn't trying to sound over-protective.  He knew she could handle herself.

            "Talk to you later Greg," she waved him off and climbed the stairs.  'I need a shower, bad.'  She made her way to her rooms and jumped into the shower immediately and let the water cascade down her body and over her exhausted muscles.  'First I worked out with Grissom and then with Greg.'  She shook her head under the water as she thought about the 'workout' with Grissom.  'What was I thinking?'  She had let her emotions take over and that wasn't how it should have been handled.  It was one thing to allow her emotions to have free reign when she was in her pretend world and allowed herself the latitude of getting upset over the cases she had to solve but it just wasn't allowed in the real world.  "My world," speaking aloud to the steaming water.  If she were still in custody of the Centre, Raines would have had her hauled down to the 'hole' by now as punishment.  'What do I do about him?'  Grissom was the love of her life and she had waited so long to have him in her arms again not to mention in her bed but she was putting him in danger as well as herself by allowing her emotions to get the better of her.  'I can't let it happen again.  Not until this situation is resolved.'  She silently vowed to keep her distance from him for the remainder of the time that it took to catch this woman.  'This woman…this woman…' 

            The wheels in her mind kept revolving round and round as she pondered the intrusion of this other person in her life.  As the water continued to cascade down her back, so did the images of a young girl that appeared in her mind.  'Mary Jane, that's who the handwriting belonged to, Mary Jane.'  She allowed herself to sink onto the base of the tub as the water continued to fall on her.  Mary Jane, the scrawny, mousy, introverted girl she had known as Mary Jane.  She shook her head at the flashbacks.  They were going to have to pull out the DSAs and find her in one of them.  Maybe they could do an age enhancement of her to see what she would look like now.  She climbed back up and finished her shower then dried off and dressed in a simple but very professional light beige pantsuit.  After she finished her makeup and hair, she dialed Jarod's cell phone and told him to meet her in the Imaging room as she shut and locked the door behind her.  She stepped into the elevator and set it for the basement, then a thought made her smile, 'Maybe I won't have to keep my distance from him after all.'

            When she made her way to the Imaging Room, voices she recognized as belonging to Jarod and Sydney reached her.  She walked up to them just as they turned to see her.  "So, what's up?"  Jarod asked as he watched her walk over to the hidden safe.  She opened it and pulled out a box of DSAs with her name on it.  She grinned at them and then started to rifle through the box until she found a couple of the DSAs that had the dates on them that she was looking for.  She handed one to Jarod and asked, "Would you mind inserting this and playing it, please?"  She left the box on the table and then went to join him.  The DSA she chose contained footage of one of Sara's worst times at the Centre when she was still a little girl.  Jarod and Sydney recognized it immediately and turned to stare at Sara as she watched the scene play out in front of her.

            The dark haired teenage girl was running for her life down the dark hallway.  Her breathing was heavy and her legs were losing the ability to carry her.  In the background, the sound of dogs barking could be heard causing her to turn back around to see where they were.  Tears were streaming down her face and visibility was being lost.  Suddenly from out of nowhere a hand grasped hers and pulled her upward into a vent in the upper portion of the wall.  "Hang on Mary, I got you."  

            Mary looked up into the face of her savior, a twenty something Jarod.  "Help me Jarod, please.  Pull me up."  Jarod pulled her into the vent with the unsuccessful effort of Mary's help.  Her breathing started to slacken as Jarod pulled her into a hug.  Suddenly they heard a terrorized scream floating down to them through the venting shaft.  It continued and became more persistent causing Jarod to tense as he realized the scream came from Sara.  'She's being taken to the Pit.'  He soothed Mary by running his hand over her hair and then he cupped her chin to make her look at his face.  "Mary, you're gonna be okay.  I have to go.  Sara is in trouble.  Go back to your room and rest.  I'll check on you later."

            "What are we looking for Sara?" Sydney asked speculatively.

            Sara didn't answer him right away but kept on scanning.  "Jarod, stop the DSA about three seconds back."  Jarod rewound the tape the three seconds she required and then Sara leaned down to the screen and squinted at the image of Mary.  "Can you bring her face forward and clarify it a little more?"

            "Sure, but why?"  Jarod asked as he worked on the image.  The cropping of the picture took a few minutes and Sara stole that opportunity to pace and let her thoughts gather in regard to what she was going to propose to them.  "Okay, I got it, but I don't remember the girl very well.  I do, however, remember the incident clearly.  Who is she?"

            Sydney broke in before Sara did.  "Mary Jane.  She was one of my projects but was taken from the Centre shortly after this incident.  I never saw her again.  She was an introvert that the Centre had wanted to research.  Her intelligence level was quite near to both of yours but she just couldn't deal with the amount of people that was foisted upon her."  Sydney looked over at Sara as she stared at the screen.

            "Jarod, is there anyway to do an age enhancement of her and see how she would look in her thirties?"  He nodded in the affirmative at her question and proceeded with the process.  Sara slowly sat on the arm of his chair as she watched the image transform and when it was done they stared at the screen in astonishment.

            "Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable Sara, I am sorry.  I put her on your detail to protect you and here she is placed in the perfect setting to eliminate you.   I am really sorry."  Jarod stared up into her face and tried to convey, the best that he could, how much remorse he felt for putting her in that position.

            Sara touched his face softly as she said, "It's alright Jarod.  It isn't your fault.  I checked over her background as well and never saw anything warranting a deeper review."

            "Why is she doing this?  Why is she so fixated on you?"  Jarod asked her not comprehending why this girl that disappeared so many years ago would be bent on killing Sara.

            "She isn't fixated on me Jarod.  All her attention is drawn to you and always has been."  She let the last of her words hang in the air to impress upon Jarod how long this had been building up in this girl.  The look on his face let her know that he wasn't going to get it.

            "She used to follow you around like a puppy, Jarod."  Sydney filled in for him.  "She used to think of you as some kind of hero especially after that time you helped her with those dogs that were chasing her.  She feared them more than anything, even more than public gatherings.  So, when you saved her from them, she turned to you like you were a god."

            "I never realized that.  I hardly even remember her at all."  Jarod tried to think of other instances he may have seen her and couldn't place her anywhere in them.

            "That's just it Jarod," Sara explained, "You didn't notice her because your attentions were drawn to protecting me.  Like those times I was in the 'hole'.  She probably knew every time you helped me and she thought she was being replaced.  She would hate me with a vengeance because of stealing you away from her and then when she was taken from the Centre, it was made worse."

            "Well, what should we do about her now?  Hauling her in here and interrogating her isn't going to work."  Jarod stared at his two team members and then saw the look in Sara's eyes that told him she already had a plan.  "Sara, no, you are not going to set yourself up as a bait.  Sydney and I are already in enough hot water with Grissom and this would just be enough to send him over the edge."

            "Don't worry about Grissom.  As far as they are concerned, they have no need to know about this operation.  It's too dangerous for them anyway.  They aren't used to being in the line of fire like we are."  Sara stood back up and smoothed out her jacket as she told Jarod and Sydney about her plan.  "Matt, Jackson and Greg are the only other ones I want involved in this.  Not a word is to be breathed to the others about what we are doing."

            "I'll call Matt and Jackson and have them meet us in the conference room.  Why don't you locate Greg and get him down here as well?"  Jarod said as they quickly left the room.  

            "Jarod, I would rather not meet in the conference room, it's too open for viewing by anyone walking through the hallways and the arena.  Why don't we take this up to your rooms and discuss it there?"  Sara wanted to make sure to keep their plan as low key as possible.

            Jarod nodded that it was a good idea before setting out to gather the rest of their group.  It was never a concern for any of them that they had left the door unlocked and the DSAs out in the open.  At least it wouldn't be a concern until much later.


	18. Chapter 18

            Grissom allowed his mind to drift off from the conference as he thought about the situation they were facing.  He couldn't take sitting and listening to the speeches anymore.  He whispered to Catherine that he was leaving but they should stay behind and continue with the conference.  With heavy thoughts running through his head, he found himself suddenly in the hallway facing the Arena.  It was really quiet except for the activity down inside the base of the Arena.  He glanced around quickly to see if he was missing something and finding that there really wasn't anyone around, he slowly made his way to the other side, getting a little snoopy with the place.  He found a hallway on the other side and followed it down until he found an open door to a room titled Imaging Room.  There was a flashing of light as he stepped inside and it came from one of the monitors.  He watched enthralled as he saw a young man pull something or someone, as he heard the scream, out of a hole.  It suddenly dawned on him what he was watching.  It was one of those discs that Jarod and the others had mentioned.  He now saw a younger version of Jarod holding a wet, shivering and bloody little girl.  'Sara, oh my God, it's Sara.'

            He took a step closer then sat down in the chair facing the monitor as he watched Jarod comfort her then slowly helped her take her clothes off and pulled her toward what appeared to be a makeshift shower.  The water was turned on until there was hot steam floating from it and the little girl jumped under the water.  She began clawing at her skin and her hair.  "Jarod, please get them off of me.  Please."  She screamed until Jarod approached her and began pulling bugs out of her hair.  A few minutes later, Jarod pulled off his shirt and wrapped the little girl in it then carried her away from the place and off the screen.

            Grissom was stunned.  That had to have been Sara and what had happened to her was just as she had described but was so much more real and painful as he watched it.  He quickly glanced around the room then found the box of the other DSAs and saw what appeared to be a briefcase that was open but had a portable player in it for the DSAs.  He took the currently playing disc out of the player, grabbed the box and portable player then he managed to somehow get back to the suite and into his room.

            A couple of hours later, Nick, Catherine and Warrick left the conference.  They headed to their suite to change so they could go out to the beach.  As they approached their suite, muffled speech reached their ears coming from within so they quietly entered.  They found the noise coming from Grissom's room and that the door was partially open so they stepped in and watched silently as Grissom rewound one of the discs.  What they saw shocked them as an older man approached an image of a teenage Sara, one they barely recognized.  He commanded her in Russian and then watched as she ran through a gauntlet of pre-positioned dummies and proceeded to execute, in several different ways, each one that was marked with a red X on it's chest.  After she finished, the man approached her as before and commanded her in Russian again.  She slumped down in exhaustion then the screen slowly faded to black.

            Grissom turned around quickly and saw the group standing behind him.  He switched off the DSA and stood to face them.  "Don't breathe a word.  You didn't see this here.  If Sara finds out I have them, fine, I'll deal with that but I don't want her to know any of you have seen them.  It would kill her to have her privacy invaded like that."

            Catherine was about to say something when Warrick stopped her with his hand on her arm.  "He's right.  Of all of us, he will be the one she will be the least mad at.  She'll still be mad, just not as bad."

            Nick, with arms crossed nodded in agreement.  "Yeah, we don't want the wrath of Sara coming down on us.  Been there, seen that."

            Catherine acquiesced reluctantly.  "Grissom, just be careful.  She's still going to be mad and yeah, I know, we have no business in your love life but this could really jeopardize it."   She and Grissom eyed each other until he nodded his understanding.  Catherine then grabbed both of the boys by the arm and led them out while shutting the door behind her.

            Grissom continued watching the DSAs and doing so made his heart ache.  Some were so horrible that if he hadn't known her, he would have thought she died.  He watched as she appeared on screen, maybe at the age of eleven, and disobeyed Mr. Raines yet again.  He had her thrown in the 'hole' and when the DSA continued, it showed her being hauled out of it, unconscious.  Her skin was red, bleeding and she showed no sign of life until Mr. Raines slapped her awake.  When she did, she was in a fit of rage and tried to attack him as if she had all the strength in the world.  The DSA abruptly ended at that point.  He pulled out another one and began playing it.  This time she was at a very young age, probably about five or six years old.  She was being trained in some form of martial arts.  

            Nick chose that moment to pop his head in and asked, "Grissom, would you like coffee or maybe something else to drink?"

            A couple of minutes went by and Nick repeated his question.  Grissom turned and blinked at him.  "Sorry Nick, I didn't hear you come in.  And no Nick, I'm really not wanting anything."  He saw Nick's eyes fix on the screen then the recognition that flared up in the young man's eyes.  "Nick?  Is there something wrong?"

            Nick walked closer to the desk and stared at the screen and the little girl.  "Grissom, I've seen her before.  I've been having some, well, some sort of flashbacks of myself as a young boy and seeing a little girl in them.   She looks an awful lot like her."  He pointed at the little girl on the screen.

            Grissom, already having turned back to the screen was engrossed in the scene again and didn't really hear Nick.  "I'm sorry, Nick, what did you just say?"  Grissom turned his attention back to Nick but watched as he shrugged his shoulders.

            "It's nothing, Grissom."  Nick took one last look at the screen, shook his head and then turned to walk out of the room, however, he forgot to tell Grissom about the plans they were making for later that night.  He turned back but never said anything because Grissom's full attention was in that other world playing out on the screen and he knew he would never get him out of it.

            The other group finished their meeting and headed off into opposite directions.  Greg and Sara headed for the elevator and when the doors opened, Sara moved to step inside but then stopped Greg.  "Greg, I forgot something.  I have to go down to the Pit again.  I'll catch up with you later."  Greg nodded then headed off to his room. Sara reached the Pit and walked quickly to the Imaging Room.  "No.  NO."  She didn't scream it but it seemed to come from the pit of her stomach in a low growl as she took in the room.  The safe remained open but the box was missing and the DSA that was in the player was no longer there either.  She stood in the middle of the room with her arms at her side, hands clenched and a look of complete rage filled her eyes.  "No!"  'Who would have taken them?'  Her mind raced with possibilities but kept reaching only one explanation.  "Grissom."


	19. Chapter 19

            Nick, Catherine, and Warrick, after telling Grissom they were leaving, went down to the lounge and met up with Matt and Jackson again.  Grissom, on the other hand, remained in his room but had told them that he would be ending his viewing of the discs then he would go in search of Sara.  After they left, he slipped in another disc; it was the one he saw before in the Imaging Room.  The DSA played up to the point where Jarod had run down to pull her out of the hole.  He leaned forward studying her reaction and the image of her welts, scratches and how Jarod cared for her so gently.  He was so engrossed in watching them that he didn't hear the door to his bedroom open and the footsteps creeping up behind him.

            Sara saw Catherine, Nick and Warrick leave the hotel from the lobby and decided that if Grissom wasn't with them, then he was either looking for her or he was doing the one thing she hoped he wasn't.  She swiftly made her way up to their suite then unlocked the door and entered.  Quietly, she made her way to Grissom's bedroom door and opened it silently.  'Damn him.  He's watching them.'  She stood there and watched as he leaned closer to the screen, 'probably studying everything,' she thought.  She took note of the other discs that were out and looked as if they had been somewhat organized.  'How many?  How many has he watched?'  She shook her head then walked forward and switched the machine off with one flick of a finger.  Grissom jumped as he saw the image disappear from the screen, not realizing that it was Sara who had turned it off or that she was behind him.

            He heard in a low, tightly controlled voice.  "Grissom, what are you doing with those?"  

            He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath then turned to look at her.  What he saw put fear into him as he gazed into her dark eyes.  "I went looking for you and found the Imaging Room.  That's when I found these and."

            She didn't move as she stared him down and interrupted.  "How could you Grissom?  I trusted you.  You knew, didn't you, when you saw those discs that they were of me?  You knew I didn't want them seen, so why?"

            Grissom took another deep breath before trying to explain his actions when Sara broke back in with her voice even tenser than before.  "No, you know what, there isn't a good enough explanation.  I don't want to hear anything from you."  She quickly left the room.  

            Grissom tried to get up to follow her but knew he wouldn't be able to catch up.  He slowly sank back in the chair then ran his hand through his hair and over the back of his neck.  'She wasn't quite as bad as I thought she'd be.'  He looked around at the discs and slowly gathered them up including the one in the player.  After he placed them in the box, he took them back down to the Pit and the Imaging Room then placed them in the safe, locked it back up then left.  His next project was to find Sara and try to get her to talk to him.  'Why do I feel as if all hell is about to break loose?'  Knowing that the rest of his team was at the lounge, he made his way there.

            Catherine saw Grissom approaching them and smiled as she caught his eye but there was no return smile.  "Oh, no."  Her muttering caused Nick and Warrick to look her way then in the direction of her stare.  They also saw Grissom approaching and he looked like someone had just stepped on one of his bugs.  Matt and Jackson also noticed the look of Grissom's appearance and wondered what had taken place for him to be so melancholy.

            "Have any of you seen Sara?"  Grissom spoke low and evenly as he tried not to let them see he had hit a low point.  He looked at his team and wondered why they stared at him like he was some kind of cartoon character that held a gigantic firecracker when it blew up.  He glanced at Matt and Jackson and saw the same look on their faces.

            "Umm, Dr. Grissom?  What happened?  I mean you look, well, you look as if someone died."  Matt stared intently at Grissom.  His attire wasn't messed up but his expression was a mixture of sadness and frustration while his hair was going in every direction.  'Something happened and whatever it is, it involved Sara.'

            "I just need to find Sara.  Have any of you seen her?"  Grissom looked back around at the people in front of them and watched as they shook their heads.  'Great, now where?'  He asked Jackson, "Where would she go if she was upset?"

            "Well, there are probably only three choices.  She is either one, in the gym, beating the crap out of something, two, riding on the beach or three, with Jarod.  That is usually where I have seen her when she has been upset or down and out."  Jackson, in his mind, figured she would be with Jarod. 'But then again, if his appearance is any indication she might be in the gym.'  "Umm, I might suggest that if what ever happened was bad enough, you should check the gym first.  She might be working off any anger or anything else before talking about it."  Grissom nodded at him then stood and headed off in the direction of the Hotel, leaving the rest of them to discuss his appearance. 

            "She knows."  Catherine let the words out on a shallow breath.  She shook her head as she watched her boss and friend head off.  Warrick and Nick both looked at Catherine then shook their heads as if they knew that they were watching their boss heading off to the gallows.

            "Catherine, what do you mean?  What does Sara know?"  Matt asked with intrigue.  He and Jackson wore expressions of worry as Catherine broke her stare and turned to look at them.

            "Grissom found the discs or DSAs, I think they're called, of Sara.  He spent all afternoon in his room watching them right up until he came down here tonight."  Catherine took a drink of her Screwdriver then stared at it as she said, "She probably found him there and blew up at him for it."

            "If that's the case, then she probably went to find Jarod.  He's just as private about those as she is."  Jackson tilted his head in consideration.  "It's probably best that we don't interfere in this.  From what Sara said about last night, they will have to work this one out on their own."

            His comment caused the CSIs to crank their necks at him with questions in their eyes.  He and Matt just smiled then picked up their drinks.  They knew that the CSIs didn't know that Sara had told them about her night with Grissom and although it wasn't in detail, it was enough.

            Grissom traveled the length of the Pit to the back stairway that lead to the gym and as he approached he heard voices and what sounded like a fist hitting a bag.  Sure enough, that's what it was.  Sara was literally punching a boxing bag and Jarod was standing off to the side with his eyes glued to her.  Grissom was able to finally make out her words and heard the anger in her tone.

            "I trusted him, Jarod."  She hit the bag again.  "I trusted him but he took that and stomped all over it."  She swung again but this time Jarod blocked her hand with his and allowed her to fall against him.  She was exhausted.  They sank to the floor and sat close to each other.  "Jarod, how could he?  I told him myself what I went through and how much it pained me to tell him.  Then he turns around, steals the DSAs and watches them.  He knew I didn't want him to.  He knew I didn't want him to know all of that stuff."  Her tears flowed freely again as she talked about it.  "Why does everyone seem to have to interfere in my life?  Why can't people just let me be, let me live my life?"

            "Sara." Jarod rubbed her back as she let everything out but now tilted her head up to meet his face and eyes.  "When you're in a relationship, trust can only be built when there are no secrets."

            "Ugh… Jarod, we don't have a relationship."  She stood abruptly and spoke as she glared down at him.  "God, we slept together.  That doesn't make it a relationship.   We've been friends, we've been colleagues but we've never been in a relationship.  And far as trust, it, like Rome, wasn't built in a day.  My secrets are just that, secrets, and I think I have had very good reasons for not wanting them to be told."

            Jarod craned his neck backward to look at her and listen.  He understood completely what she was talking about and in some ways felt the same as her.   But he knew, from his own experience with Miss Parker, that secrets have a way of letting themselves be found out and when they do, the holder is left in pieces.  "Sara, if I understand Dr. Grissom at all, then I believe him to be someone who cares deeply for you and only wants to understand so that he can know you better."

            "That's a crock, Jarod."  Sara turned and walked toward the locker room but twisted around to face Jarod again as he stood.  "If he wants to understand me, to know me better then why the hell doesn't he tell me his secrets?  I know plenty of them but have never let on because it should be him telling me, not me telling him, like the fact about his hearing.  I knew before I left Vegas and came here that he was having problems, it was obvious and I didn't get into his computer or track down his doctor or even ask him about it.  I just knew from his actions and attitude.  And I should add, he had it corrected before they came down here."

            Jarod blinked at her, taking everything in that she had said.  'She really would have been great just as a Pretender.'  He thought as she marched off toward the locker room.  He sighed then turned and glanced upward to see Grissom leaning against the railing.  He hoped that the man had heard the conversation and would act on it.  Jarod took the stairs two at a time and when he reached the top, he nodded at Grissom then left.

            Grissom slowly descended to the gym level and meandered his way around the room finally stopping at the punching bag.  His figure was hidden by it when Sara came walking back out a half hour later.  She was in the middle of pulling her hair back into a ponytail when she saw the movement by the bag.  Grissom stepped around it and waited with his hands stuffed in his pockets until she looked over at him.  They stood their staring at each other, neither wanting to be the first to speak.

            Grissom finally took a step forward and as he opened his mouth, Sara rapidly raised her hand to stop him.  He stepped back and remained silent, knowing that everything depended on it. "Don't Grissom.  Now is not the time.  I," She drew in a deep breath and dropped her head down with eyes closed.  She slowly let out her breath then looked back up at him as she said, "I need to gain some control before I attempt to talk to you."  She dropped her hand back down then turned and left the gym.  

            Grissom hung his head and shook it as he thought about what that had cost her to say and do.  No matter how angry she was, she showed her feelings for him by not allowing herself to lash out at him.  The loss of her trust hit him like a bullet through the heart, tearing a large gaping hole in it.  'What have I done?'


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty  
  
In the Control Room, a screen flickered in the darkened room. A woman stared at the screen and watched intently to the scene as it played out in front of her. She saw him touch her and rub her back as she cried. It didn't matter what it was for, he touched her and comforted her. The action made the woman mad. 'He belongs to me, not her. She just takes, takes, and takes. No more, he's mine and she's not going to live to see another day.' She flicked off the screen then left the room hurriedly, never seeing the other man enter the gym or the reaction of Sara when she saw him.  
  
Sara quickly fled the gym before she said something she'd regret. As she walked down the hallway, leading to the Arena, the silence and seclusion of the area elevated her senses. Her eyes darted back and forth taking in all the darker alcoves. The hairs on the back of her neck rose as she sensed something lurking, watching every move she made. 'She's going to make her move.' Sara swiftly darted into an alcove and buried herself in the darkness. She drew in her breath and held it as her ears listened for any movement. Her skin tingled as she sensed a change in air pressure. 'She's close, very close.' Steadily, but silently, Sara dropped to a squat against the wall as the report of a silencer was detected. The granite above, where her head had once been, crumbled and landed on top of her. Sara, however, held her position.  
  
She knew the woman was approaching even though no sound was heard. Suddenly, Sara lunged forward and hit solid mass. The mass gave way as they fell to the floor sending the gun in her opponent's hand clattering to the floor. Sara could make out the sound of it clattering on the floor. It was probably no more than ten feet away but too far for her to try to get to. The other woman was able to wedge her knee upward and forcefully sent it into Sara's stomach. Without flinching, Sara held her ground then swung her fist and made contact with the other woman's face. Sara rolled off of her along the floor and into the darkness. She had no weapon and would have to rely on her abilities at hand-to-hand combat. Her skills, when she was at the Centre, were exceptional in that area, however, that had been a long time ago and even with the time spent training here, she considered herself rusty.  
  
The other woman stood and surveyed the area in search of her prey. Finding it, she launched herself forward, just as it stood. She hit solidly, taking the object down to the floor. Sara, underneath her opponent, knew that the only way she would gain any leverage in this fight would be to change her defense to an offensive stance. She quickly wedged her knee up against her chest and got her foot underneath the woman. Sara then lifted her up and over them, causing the other woman to go flying. Sara quickly got to her feet and met the other woman head on as she also stood instantly after hitting the floor. "Mary Jane, enough. Can't you see this isn't going anywhere?"  
  
Margot froze as she heard her real name. "So, you know who I am? I should have known you'd figure it out quickly. However, I don't feel that this is nearly enough. It won't be done until you're dead and out of my way."  
  
"Mary Jane, why do you think I'm in your way? Jarod doesn't love me like a girlfriend or lover. We've always only just been friends." Sara knew that she would never be able to convince Mary Jane but maybe she could distract her long enough to gain some leverage in this fight. "I'm in love with another man, Mary, not Jarod."  
  
"Sara, do you really believe me to be that big of a fool? Who wouldn't be in love with Jarod?" Mary Jane spoke with a haughty laugh. "Quit trying to distract me, Sara. It's an old trick but the Triumvirate taught me better than that." She stepped into a round kick toward Sara's head. Sara ducked then swept one leg out and caught Mary Jane while she was still on one leg, effectively sweeping her off her feet and to the floor. Mary Jane rolled as she fell and pulled herself back up. Sara took the opportunity to move forward as Mary Jane stood and kicked her in the stomach then swung around and hit her on the side of her head, knocking her to the floor again. Again, she stepped forward and kicked her in the side to keep down.  
  
Mary Jane, now lying flat on the floor, saw the gun that had skidded away from her previously. It was only a few feet away and she grabbed for it. Sara saw her action and also dove for it; but in doing so, she allowed Margot to move freely so that she reached it before Sara could.  
  
She took aim at Sara and pulled the trigger. Sara, however, evaded the shots as she ran down the hallway in a zig zag motion. As she reached the edge of the Arena, the bell on the elevator rang, announcing its arrival. Sara skidded to a halt and looked back at it, wondering who was in it. They would end up being in a direct line of fire if they came out. The doors opened and Sara yelled for them to stay inside but it was too late as she watched Nick and Warrick step out to find Mary Jane running straight for them. Warrick saw her first and tried to pull Nick backward into the elevator but was shoved out of the way as Mary Jane reached them. She pushed Nick forward and held onto him with the gun pointed at his head. Sara then yelled out as if in pain, "No!"  
  
The sound reverberated on the glass of the arena and echoed down the hallways. Those on the lower level of the Arena heard it and looked upward to try to figure out why someone had yelled. Grissom heard it faintly in the gym. Jarod and Sydney heard it from an office further down another hallway. Everyone headed toward it as they recognized the voice as Sara's.  
  
Jarod and Sydney reached the scene first and saw Mary Jane with her gun placed at Nick's temple holding him in front of her as a shield. Warrick, Catherine along with Matt and Jackson, were on the other side of Mary Jane and Nick as they watched in horror. Matt and Jackson had their guns drawn and aimed at her but weren't able to get a clear shot. Grissom approached behind them and took in the scene. Sara stood against the glass of the arena, anger written all over her face.  
  
"Mary Jane, what are you doing? It's me you want, not Nick. If you really want me, then let him go." Sara didn't plead with her but stated facts. Mary Jane instinctively shielded herself with Nick but had put herself in a position of defense instead of offense.  
  
Mary Jane shoved the gun harder against Nick's head as she peeped out behind him and sneered. "Ahh, Sara, what's wrong? Not sure how to protect poor Nicky this time. You did such a wonderful job when you were a kid. What's wrong now?"  
  
"Mary Jane, don't, don't do this." Sara now began to plead with her. She was the cause of so much pain for Nick and she didn't want him to know.  
  
Flash of understanding lit Mary Jane's eyes. "Oh, my, my, my Sara! He doesn't know does he? All this time you've spent with him and he doesn't know."  
  
"Stop it. Please don't." Sara stepped forward but Mary Jane pulled Nick backward and let the gun sink into his temple even more. Sara let her eyes meet Nick's and saw the confusion apparent in them. He didn't understand and was trying to put the pieces together as Mary Jane continued.  
  
"So, Nicky, ever wonder why you needed that last minute babysitter when you were nine? From what I understand, it wasn't too hard for her to worm her way into that situation. The Centre paid her handsomely for her work although she would have done it for free, she enjoyed it immensely." Mary Jane felt him tense underneath her hold and smiled at Sara as she continued. "It was just an experiment, Nicky. The Centre didn't think you were up to the standards they were looking for but your twin sister was." Nick suddenly swung his head to face Mary Jane, forgetting about the gun as he asked, "Twin?" Mary Jane pushed his head forward with the gun again, so he could get the answer from Sara. He stared at Sara and saw the involuntary confirmation in her eyes.  
  
Catherine gasped as she recalled what Nick had told her about the babysitter. She held onto Warrick's arm as she heard Nick's most private secret revealed. 'Damn her, why can't she just shut up?' And then she realized what Mary Jane was insinuating. Her eyes darted from Sara to Nick and all of a sudden she could see the resemblance.  
  
Mary Jane again laughed. "Controlling Sara was like trying to pull teeth from a fully awake lion. So, as an experiment on the bond between twins and maybe, just maybe, being able to control her, they chose to hurt you to see the effect it would have on her. Sara felt what you had, the fear, the shame, and the pain but she hid it so well. The Triumvirate pulled the plug on it after that first attempt even after Mr. Raines tried to convince them that she did feel it but was hiding it. They thought that if she had felt it, she would have responded to it in kind. She hid it well, to protect you from further harm but in the end, the guilt of it still haunts her today because no matter what she did, she was still the reason you were raped." She squealed with laughter as she drove the point home. Sara was starting to lose control and Mary Jane saw her victory in sight.  
  
Warrick and Grissom, now standing side by side, both stared at Nick and thought about the pain he had been holding in all these years and now to have it laid out so publicly was going to slowly kill him. Grissom saw Catherine put her arm on Warrick's hand as Mary Jane spoke. Of all the people that Nick would have told, it would've been her and her actions gave him the confirmation all too well.  
  
"Now, all I want is for her to be dead. Don't you Nicky? All she ever does is take, take, take and she never gives back." Mary Jane's tone of voice showed her demented side. Just as she was about to remove the gun from off of Nick and point it toward Sara, she heard a voice from behind her. "Mary Jane? What are you doing?" She turned around suddenly and saw Jarod; except it was the Jarod from her youth. Her voice quivered as she asked, "Jarod?" The sight of him took her breath away. He was just as she remembered. He walked toward her a couple of feet then stopped. When she moved to help close the distance between them, her hold on Nick lessened enough for him to drop to his knees and finally, Sara was able to act on her adrenaline rush.  
  
Mary Jane felt the emptiness around her and turned to see Sara leaping toward her. She squared herself and fired. The bullet caught Sara in the shoulder but her momentum continued as she slammed into her target. Mary Jane hit the wall then they fell to the floor and the gun went clattering along the floor again to be caught up by Joshua. Mary Jane sat on top of Sara and pushed a thumb into her now profusely bleeding wound. Sara bucked her off then stood and swung with her good arm, meeting Mary Jane's face with a crunching sound. Mary Jane reeled backward straight into the waiting arms of Greg who had hidden in the adjacent alcove when Joshua had appeared on the scene. He nearly lost his grip on her as she tried to lunge forward again toward Sara, but Matt and Jackson rushed over and helped him with her. Sara stood up as she held her arm to her side.  
  
Jarod and Joshua both walked over to Mary Jane and stood in front of her. She took in the sight of the two Jarod's and her eyes grew large as realization dawned on her. 'A clone.' Jarod looked her over then said in almost a whisper, "I still don't remember you." Mary Jane's face formed into an expression of pain then of defeat as Matt, Jackson and Greg hauled her off to another location.  
  
Jarod turned around to face Sara and saw that she was now standing. He reached out and cupped her face with his hand and stared into her eyes. "Are you alright?"  
  
Sara smiled and nodded. "I just need to have Dr. Linn look at this." Sara quickly looked around and spotted Nick leaning against the glass. She walked past Grissom, Catherine and Warrick to slowly make her way to where Nick stood. He brought his head up and looked into her eyes. He shook his head as if to say, 'I don't want to talk right now.' Sara nodded in understanding then backed up, turned and walked down into the Arena to have Dr. Linn look at her shoulder. Nick pushed himself off the glass and walked determinedly to the elevator. It opened immediately and he left without a word to anyone.  
  
"Do you think it's true, what Mary Jane said about Nick and Sara?" Warrick said as he watched the elevator doors shut.  
  
Catherine stared at the doors also, she nodded then said, "Yeah I do, at least the part about the babysitter. As far as the relationship between Nick and Sara? I don't know."  
  
"It's true." Grissom stood behind them and recalled what Nick had tried to tell him when he watched Sara's DSA's. "They're twins. Nick remembered seeing her as a little girl but didn't know who she was. He does now." 


	21. Chapter 21

            Sara stood barefoot on the beach, the sun was just coming up in the horizon and she squinted to look at it's brightness and the change it created in the morning sky.  Hearing the squishing of the sand behind her, she turned around to see Joshua walking up to her.  She looked back at the sky as Joshua finally stood next to her.  He remained still, like her, as he watched the sun rise. "Do you like watching the sun rise or set?"

            Joshua looked up into her face and smiled.  "I love to when I can.  I didn't get to do that at the Centre.  But of course you know that."

            "Tell me, Joshua.  What were you trained in at the Centre?  Sims or offensive strategy?"  Sara asked with interest.  In her mind, she ran a simulation about him and figured he would have been treated just like Jarod.

            Joshua squinted up at her as the sun was now growing stronger and they began walking up toward the end of the beach where the lounge was located.  "Sims, of course.  They wanted me to be just like Jarod -to think like him."

            Sara nodded in understanding.  She looked down and saw a seashell.  He saw it also and reached down for it then held it to his ear.  He smiled then handed it to her.  Sara took it from him and also heard the ocean sound.  Smiling, she handed it back to him.  "Joshua, were you trained any in the art of defense, like martial arts or anything similar?"

            Joshua stopped after she asked the question.  He stared out at the ocean and spoke quietly, "No, I haven't been.  The Centre didn't want me to be able to fight back like Jarod did and Jarod doesn't want me to learn.  He says he just wants me to be a "normal" kid."

            Sara was stunned.  She stared at Joshua and wondered what Jarod was thinking.  Joshua was a liability to everyone if he couldn't defend himself.  Before she could ask him more, he turned around and asked, "Sara, I was wondering, well, since Jarod and Miss Parker are so, umm, busy if maybe you would train me.  You know, to defend myself.  I don't want the Centre to get me again."  

            Instead of answering right away, she continued walking on the beach and he jogged to catch up with her.  He waited patiently until she spoke.  "Joshua, it isn't something you can learn in just a few days.  I don't know where I stand anymore.  If I plan to go back to Vegas or stay here or maybe even go somewhere else.  If I decide to train you, I would want you to be with me and I don't know if Jarod would be comfortable with that."

            "Well, we could at least ask him.  Or don't you think I should be trained either?"  Joshua hesitantly asked that last part.  He hoped she would agree to it and would talk to Jarod but wasn't so sure if she would anymore.  They had walked to the short portion of the beach near the lounge and were now in full view of the hotel.  Joshua stopped and waited for her reply, crossing his fingers as he waited.

            Sara stopped also when she realized he was no longer walking beside her.  She slowly turned toward him as she thought about his question.  "No, Joshua, I do think you should be trained.  You're a liability to all of us if you're not.  I don't like those kinds of liabilities.  It's too dangerous."  She sighed then continued.  "I'll talk to Jarod later.  I don't, however, want you to bring it up to him.  Understood?"

            He nodded as a smile formed on his small face.  "I won't say anything but I hope you won't take too long."

            Sara grinned.  'He was so eager.'  She nodded to him and said, "I won't, I'll talk to him today.  Okay?"  She reached out and ruffled his hair as he tried to duck.  He nodded in agreement as they continued talking.

            Elsewhere, Nick Stokes walked towards the occupied balcony of their suite.  Grissom and Catherine sat at the table and Warrick sat in a chair against the railing facing toward the suite.  Nick walked out and went over to the railing and breathed in deeply.  The others watched intently and considered his movements thoughtfully.  They didn't know how he was feeling but he looked better than when they saw him last.  He turned around and poured himself a cup of coffee from the carafe that was on the table.  He took in the worried looks of his friends and smiled at each one before he took his first drink.  He turned back around and looked over the railing down to the beach.  His face suddenly drew into a frown and then he hurriedly placed his cup down on the table and walked back into the suite.  The others stared after him and Warrick even moved to get up to go after him when Grissom waved at him to hold back.  Grissom looked over the railing to see what Nick had seen.  He turned back around when he heard the door to the suite open and watched as Nick left.  Catherine and Warrick both looked back at Grissom with questioning glances.  "Sara is on the beach."  And that was all he needed to say.  They all stood at the railing to watch the scene unfold in front of them as they waited for Nick to reappear.

            Nick rushed down to the front lobby and almost ran out the front doors.  He stopped suddenly as he saw that Sara and Joshua were still on the beach.  He breathed deeply as he considered what he was going to say.  After taking another deep breath, he slowly walked toward the two forms on the beach.

            Sara and Joshua were throwing stones toward the water trying to form a multiple skip off from them even with the tide.  Sara turned to find another one and caught movement up on the path.  She looked up and saw Nick approaching and gasped slightly.  'He's actually coming to talk.'  She stood slowly and waited as he approached.  Joshua saw him also and touched Sara on her arm.  She looked down at him and he said, "I'm gonna go and leave you two to talk."  He then walked away, back down the beach.

            SARA TURNED BACK to the approaching Nick and walked forward to meet him.  When they met, neither knew what to say.  She finally broke the silence as they stared for what seemed like minutes to them.  "Hi."  She said softly and then smiled at him.

            He smiled back and said, "Hi."  He shoved his hands in his pockets and then grew silent once again but his eyes danced with conversation embedded in them.

            Sara glanced back and forth at each of his eyes and read his need in them.  "You, umm, ready to talk?"  He nodded at her and then opened his mouth to speak but saw her eyes look past him and upward.  He turned to look at what she was and saw Grissom, Catherine and Warrick staring down at them.  He turned back to her and she nodded toward the right.  "Let's walk so we can keep prying eyes off of us."  He again nodded and began to walk with her away from the lounge and down the way she had came up.

            They walked several feet before Nick found his voice.  "Umm, Sara?  How is your shoulder?  Is it going to be okay?"

            Sara heard the difficulty in his speech as he tried to talk to her.  'He must have a lot of questions and thoughts.'  She smiled at him with a tilt to her head and replied, "Yeah, it'll be fine.  Just some time to heal is all that's needed."

            "Good, glad there isn't any worse damage to it."  He glanced away as he tried to make coherent thoughts in his head.  Sara read the conflicting emotions in his face and reached out to touch his arm.  When she did, he looked down at her hand then up to her face.  He opened his mouth to speak but closed it as he couldn't think of what to say.

            "Nick.  You can ask whatever you need to or say what you want.  I won't run away.  I'll try to answer as much as I can and as simply as I can."  The concern on her face was evident and Nick saw the raw emotions he felt reflected in her.

            "Why didn't you ever tell me?"  He asked on a whisper as he watched her intently.  He wanted to know why she would hold that back from him all this time.  Why she found it necessary to keep that a secret when he was her brother, her twin.

            Sara gently pulled her hand back and quickly replied without any hesitancy, "To protect you."

            Nick frowned at her answer.  He knew she spoke the truth because of the immediate reply but wondered at it.  "Why, what do you need to protect me from now?  The Centre isn't around anymore."

            Sara started walking again as he followed a step behind.  "The Centre may not be but the Triumvirate is and I fear them more than the Centre.  They controlled the people and the research at the Centre.  They're the ones in charge."  She stopped and turned to face him again.  "I wanted to be close to you.  To get to know you but also wanted to keep you safe.  When Grissom asked me to come to Vegas, I already knew you were there and it was an added bonus to move."  She smiled at the memory.  "Nick, I'm sorry about, well, about what the Centre did to you.  It nearly killed me."  She wiped tears away as they started falling on her face.  Nick felt tears on his face then her hand as she wiped them away.

            "No, Sara, it wasn't your fault.  It was the Centre's.  I want to thank you instead for doing what you did."  He looked up toward the sky and continued, "I don't want to think about what else they would have had in store for me if you hadn't."  He looked back to her face and saw the pain in them from the memory.  He quickly pulled her into a hug and held her as they both let out the fear and pain they had held onto for so long.  "I, umm, I've been having flashes of an image of you as a little girl since that first night when we arrived here.  I don't remember having a twin sister and you would think I would."

            Sara pulled back from him but continued to let him hug her as she did the same.  "Nick, you were there when I was taken.  We were in bed, bunk beds I think, when they came in.  Just as they had gotten me out of bed, you woke up.  I remember one of the men walking toward you and although I don't remember what they said, I would assume they threatened you.  You probably don't remember because of that and because of seeing me be taken."  

            Nick's eyes closed as she spoke.  Memories rushed back as he saw her at the birthday party then it was dark and he saw the flashlights and her face with a hand over her mouth.  He quickly opened his eyes as he felt the fear again.  He looked into her eyes as she tried to read what he might be thinking.  "I saw it Sara, the images, I saw it."  He hugged her again and they remained that way for quite awhile.  "I know now why Mom and Dad were so protective of us.  I should call and let them know."

            Sara pulled back suddenly and shook her head.  "No, Nick. Not yet.  I, uh, I don't know if that would be a good idea.  I…"

            Nick looked at her face and saw that she was scared.  "Sara?"

            "It's too soon.  I can't do that.  I can't handle that much."  Sara was scared at the thought of meeting a whole family -her family.

            "Okay, Sara.  I understand.  But maybe later, you'll let me take you to see them?"  He asked but was afraid she would still say no.

            Sara instead nodded and said, "Someday, Nicky, when I am better prepared for it."  He smiled at her answer and knew it wouldn't be too long.

            They continued to walk down the beach, as they held close to each other.  Nick let his thoughts wander and realized that his 'sister' was in a relationship, a boyfriend was involved.  He also remembered that at that moment in time, they were fighting and he along with Catherine and Warrick knew that Grissom was perfect for Sara and vice versa.  He decided to put his two cents in as the concerned brother.  "Sara, are you still angry with Grissom?"

            Sara stopped and turned to look at him.  "Why do you think I'm angry with Grissom?"

            Nick now realized the mess he was letting himself into.  "I, umm, well, you know with the discs and all that he was watching."

            Sara's anger flared as she thought about them seeing the discs.  "What, you guys saw them too?  How could he,"

            "No, Sara.  We didn't see much."  Nick took hold of both of her arms as he tried to explain.  "When Grissom realized we were behind him, he stood and hid the screen from us.  He said that if you knew he watched them it would be one thing but he wasn't going to have you getting mad at us and also invade your privacy.  He said he would take the brunt of it if you found out but wouldn't let us.  The other night he mentioned how he didn't know you anymore, the real you and I think it scares him."

            Sara searched his eyes for the truth and recognized it.  Her stance loosened and she relaxed.  "Thank you, Nick.  I was about to go beat the hell out of him."

            Nick grabbed her hand and squeezed it.  "He loves you.  You know that don't you?"

            Sara gave him a small smile and nodded.  "I know but he still went beyond the boundaries Nick.  He wants to understand me, sure, but he needs to let me tell him not him searching it out behind my back.  It makes me feel like a lab rat and he's researching me.  That's what the Centre used to do."

            "Are you going to talk to him?  We only have today and tomorrow here.  I would hate to have him go back to Vegas without you two working this out."  Nick really didn't want to have to work around Grissom in a worse state than he was before when Sara had left.

            Sara sighed, she knew she would have to but wasn't looking forward to it.  Some decisions were made during the night and she knew that Grissom was going to take them personally.  "Yes, Nick, I am.  I guess the sooner I do it, the better." 

            Nick nodded in agreement then they hugged again and walked back to the hotel as they talked about non-consequential stuff.  Before walking in though, he stopped her and made sure to make eye contact as he said, "Sara, I just thought you should know, that when you disappeared, Grissom was, well, he was different.  He was already withdrawn from everyone what with his hearing problem and all, but without you there to help him through it, I think he felt lost.  He came to work on time, not early, and he always left on time never staying late.  He wouldn't go out with us after work and he just seemed to shut down.  You didn't know about his hearing did you?"

            Sara looked down at their feet and nodded.  She then gazed back at him.  "Yes I did.  I was waiting for him to tell me though.  I figured it out when he didn't answer me several different times.  His reaction in court was the final piece of the puzzle for me."

            Nick grinned.  "You really are smart.  None of us had any clue."  Sara grinned at him too then they walked into the hotel and went to their separate rooms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N:  Just a quick note in reference to my other fics… I'm very gratified that so many like A Time for Love and I know that many of you are patiently waiting for another chapter.  I have been diligently working on Chapter 11 this past week and hopefully will be posting it tomorrow sometime.  Thank you for your kind reviews.  They certainly help my muse when I don't feel much like writing.


	22. Chapter 22

            Sara left Nick after they reached his floor then went to her room and found a note under the door.  She opened it and saw it was from Jackson.  It referenced the communiqué from the Agency and Director Gage.  She closed her door and headed down to the Pit to speak with them.

            When she reached the top floor of the Pit and stepped out to find Matt, Jackson and Greg in a discussion as they awaited the elevator.  "Hey, Sara.  We were just going to look for you."  Greg said with a serious look on his face as he took in her bandaged shoulder.  "Are you feeling okay?  Should you be up with that wound?"

            Sara smiled at his worry.  "Yes, Greg, I'm okay and I got the note Jackson, so I came to see you about it.  I told Director Gage last night that I would be at headquarters on Sunday for the project."  She spied the look that Matt and Jackson shared.  "What's up?  Has something changed?"

            "Well, actually Director Gage was wondering if you could leave tonight."  Jackson said.  "He would like to meet with you more about the project before starting on Sunday.  And get some sort of plan outlined."

            "Oh, well, I was hoping to be here when Grissom and the others left but if I have to then, well, I have to."  Sara never went back on a promise or commitment and wasn't going to begin now.  "I'll give him a call shortly.  Have any of you seen Jarod?"

            Matt pointed down the hall and said, "He was in the Imaging room the last time I saw him."  Sara already started walking that way when he pointed.  She nodded back to them as she continued down to the room.  After reaching her destination, she saw Jarod looking in the safe.  She walked in and waited until he turned around to see her.

            "Hey, Sara, I see you got the DSAs from Dr. Grissom and put them away."  Jarod said as he moved to close the safe.  Sara stopped him as she walked over quickly and looked at the box in the safe and the portable player on the table.

            "Jarod, I didn't put these away."  Sara saw the smile form on Jarod's face when she said that.  "He must have brought them back after I caught him."

            "Sara, have you talked to him yet?"  Jarod wanted them to talk and get this over with.  The sooner the better so that it would actually get talked out and not shoved under the rug.

            "No, not yet, I was going to a little later.  I actually need to talk to you about something else entirely."  Sara's thoughts roamed back and forth between Grissom and Joshua.  Joshua's problem could be resolved much quicker than her issue with Grissom.  'Best to get the easiest out of the way.'

            "Well, what do you have on your mind?"  He grinned, expecting it to be something other than what he was about to hear.

            "What are your plans concerning Joshua?"  Sara asked with concern lacing the tone in her voice.

            Jarod didn't expect that topic and gave her a quizzical look before replying, "I really haven't thought about it that much.  Why?"

            Sara slowly paced the room in thought then turned to face him and said, "He seems kind of idle -like he has nothing to do.  Are you training him at all or is Sydney doing anything with him?  Is he attending school?  I guess I'm concerned."

            Jarod couldn't fathom where this was coming from.  He sat on the edge of the table as he considered her for a moment and wondered if she wasn't maybe up to something.  "Sara, we, Miss Parker and I decided that we didn't want him to have to go through what the rest of us children had to so we were planning on just enrolling him in school and try to bring him up like any normal pre-adolescent child.  He's been through a lot with the Centre, he doesn't need to endure more."

            Sara stared at him for a moment before continuing because her question was one that she didn't think that Jarod wanted to consider.  "Does the Triumvirate know that you have him?"

            Jarod squinted at her as he realized where she was probably headed with her thoughts.  "Yes, actually they do.  Sara, they haven't even given him another thought since the day we got him away from them."

            "What if they have and are just biding their time?"  She asked as she took a seat in the chair facing him at the table.  "What would happen to him or to us for that matter if they were to get their hands on him?  What are his abilities?"

            He hadn't wanted to think about this stuff.  He just wanted Joshua to have the life that he himself hadn't been allowed to.  "I don't know, Sara.  It would be bad if they did.  He's just a boy and shouldn't have to deal with it."

            "Well, that's the problem, Jarod."  Sara stood and began pacing the room.  "He may be a boy, but he's not just any boy.  If he gets tracked by the Triumvirate, he won't be able to defend himself if we aren't around to protect him."  Her tone was deep and full of concern.  "Jarod, I'm going to play devil's advocate here and tell you, he is a threat to us in his present condition.  He either needs to be trained to defend himself and also in offense or he needs to be removed from anything or anyone with a background at the Centre."

            He stood and stopped Sara's pacing.  "He shouldn't have to learn that.  He's just a kid who has already been through enough hell not to mention that he is reminded everyday that he has no parent's and that he was only created to be my replacement."

            "That's just it, Jarod.  Being shifted off between so many people, although he is cared for by all of them, has got to be hard on him.  He needs something stable but he also needs to be able to feel secure in his own abilities.  And he is very capable of doing that if he is trained properly.  He can learn control and learn to keep his abilities in check if trained to do so."  Sara looked him squarely in the eye.  The only way she can make him understand is to get him to realize how much trouble he can be put in if this isn't done.  "He's so not able to protect himself right now.  God, Jarod, he saved us last night but he put himself in a lot of danger that he wouldn't have been able to handle if Mary Jane had turned on him.  What if her real goal was to capture him for the Triumvirate?  She could very well have succeeded."

            Jarod had no reply this time.  'I hate it when she's right.'  He sat back down and stared at her in thought.  "I'm sorry, Sara.  You're right and I just haven't wanted to see it.  I just want him to have what I didn't, what we didn't."  He turned away, staring off at the wall.  "You have something in mind don't you?  You never go into anything with out some sort of plan, so spill."

            She sat next to him and took his hand in hers.  "I want to take him with me, Jarod.  I want to train him and also enroll him in school.  That way, he not only has the chance to learn the defense he needs but he can still have the opportunity for a normal life."

            Jarod grinned at her.  He knew exactly what Sara was wanting.  "You just want to smother him with maternal love and play house."

            Sara smiled.  He knew her too well.  "Is that so bad?  I recall someone else doing that same thing with me."  She poked him in the ribs and started to laugh when he began to squirm.  She had forgotten how ticklish he was.

            He finally stopped and looked at her seriously.  "What about you're returning to D.C.?  Are you going to take him with you?"

            "Until now, I wasn't sure.  But now that you actually have asked it and made me think, yes, I am.  I think that having to watch the training program at H.Q. -he will have a good perspective of what I am going to be training him."

            Jarod nodded in agreement.  "Good.  Thanks, Sara.  I wasn't in anyway thinking about it like you did.  I guess I should call Miss Parker and Major Charles and let them know.  I think, in a way, they will be relieved."  He looked down at their hands and smiled.  "You know, if you decide to go back to Vegas, I'm really going to miss you.  It's been nice having you around without the control of the Centre."

            Sara smiled warmly and looked down like he did at their hands.  "Yeah, I feel the same.  I have a family Jarod but you will always be my brother.  I love you so much."  She stared into his eyes and a tear escaped when she said that.  "I don't know if I am going to go back to Vegas or somewhere else.  I would like to but it's going to be strange, knowing that Grissom and the others know about me but I do need to keep up with Nick and he wants me to meet "our" family.  That's going to take awhile..."  Her voice trailed off as she looked past Jarod to see Grissom walking toward them.  "Umm, Jarod, I need to talk with Grissom.  Why don't you tell Joshua the good news, okay?"  She quickly stood and made her way out of the room to meet Grissom.  Jarod turned to see what she was looking at and when he did, a smile reappeared on his face.


	23. Chapter 23

            Sara walked quickly out of the room and met Grissom before he reached them.  She stopped just short of him as he finished his approach.  Both were unsure of what to say.  "Sara, I, umm, well, we leave tomorrow night and I wanted to, well, you know, talk before we left."

            Sara gave him a small smile and nodded.  "I do too.  Umm, but let's talk somewhere else, too many interruptions here.  Why don't we go outside?"  

            They both turned, in an almost synchronized movement.  Grissom waited, however, to let Sara precede him.  Then followed as they went to the elevator and then out of the Hotel.  When they got to the lounge, they found it nearly deserted.  Sara nodded at the bartender.  He nodded back then motioned for one of the waitresses to move toward the bar where they could then be seen having a discussion.

            Finding a seat in the rear, Sara and Grissom sat down across the table from each other with Sara facing toward the main area of the lounge and with her back to the wall.  Grissom noticed her position and realized she was setting herself up for observation.  He took a look around the place and although it was decidedly deserted, he wasn't sure if this was an appropriate place for their discussion.  "Sara, wouldn't you prefer somewhere with less possibility of distractions or interruptions?"

            Sara smiled at him and said, "It's been handled, Grissom.  No one will bother us back here."  She pointed toward the bartender with the tilt of her head.  "Thomas, at the bar, has by now instructed all of the staff here to keep us secluded."

            Grissom glanced up to the bar and noticed that the bartender kept looking toward them.  Thomas looked back at Sara and gave her a quick wink.  'She seems to have everything covered.'  Grissom thought as he glanced back at her.  'She makes a great leader.'  He had noticed how through this past week that her relationship with the staff was very friendly and yet she still held her position with them.

            "Grissom, I need to explain something and I don't want you to take this the wrong way."  She looked down at the table for a moment then he reached over and took her hand in his.  Glancing back up, she went forward, "I want to go back to Vegas, but there is going to be a slight detour before I can."  She saw a glint of something in his eyes, maybe it was fear or just misunderstanding but whatever it was, she knew that she had to get the rest out quickly to help him understand.  "I have been asked to head up a special project with the CIA and it will take about a month maybe longer.  I'm not going back yet.  And I think that with everything else, it's the best thing.  I need to settle within myself what I am doing now -how I am going to go back to CSI and be accepted there again and how to still keep my other life secret.  And I am going to have another added responsibility with Joshua."

            Grissom tilted his head as if trying to understand what she was saying.  He understood and yet was wondering when all this had come about.  "What project? And what do you mean responsibility with Joshua?"

            Sara's mind raced with the possibilities of how to answer him but only one was possible.  "I can't tell you what the project is because it's a project of the CIA's.  But I can tell you that it won't be very long, just a month maybe a week or two more than that.  And I am the only one, right now, available to do this."

            Grissom nodded in understanding.  He knew it had to involve national security of course, since it was the CIA but still wished she could tell him.  "Okay, I can understand that but what about this thing with Joshua?"

            "Well, Jarod and I had a discussion just a little bit ago in regard to Joshua's future and it was decided that it would be best if he lives with me, permanently.  Not passed back and forth between the others."  Sara finally let it dawn on her that it meant that she would now be a 'mom'.  Her expression fell as she realized it and Grissom took note of that.

            "I take it that it was unexpected."  Grissom asked her as he squinted at her expression.

            "Well, I wanted it, sort of.  It was something I had thought about before but since Joshua asked and wanted, well, he needs some training and Jarod didn't really want him to be trained, just to have a normal childhood."  Sara looked at Grissom to make sure he understood her explanation because at some point she knew he would be involved in this.  "Right now, Joshua is a liability, to me, to Jarod and especially to himself.  Without the proper training he won't be able to defend himself against the Triumvirate if they ever find out where he is.  And I am the best qualified to complete his training."

            "Are you referring to combat type training?"  Grissom was a little worried that Sara would train a kid in combat.

            "In a way, yes, but mainly it would be self-defense.  He needs to be able to protect himself from being captured."  Sara looked around the lounge quickly, keeping an eye on the surroundings before continuing on with their conversation.  Delving into deeper matters, "Grissom we need to discuss what happened the last few nights, especially in regard to the DSAs and our night together."  She watched him flinch as she mentioned the DSAs.  'He didn't really think I was going to skip over them?'

            "Sara, please let me say, that I knew what I was doing would upset you if you found out.  And I am truly sorry."  Grissom rushed through his words as if on fire.  He wanted to say it before she came down on him.

            Sara sat for a moment and digested his words.  'Exactly how did he intend that apology?  Surely he didn't mean that he was sorry I found him with them?'  Sara's face scrunched up in a frown as she tried to decipher his meaning, causing Grissom to once again flinch.  She noticed.  "What exactly are you sorry for?"

            Grissom knew exactly what she was wondering.  He hadn't worded it as well as he had planned.  "I am sorry that I felt a need to watch them.  I am sorry that I hurt you.  I apologize for doing so behind your back."  He swallowed hard then met her eyes.  "I'm not sorry that I watched them."

            Sara slowly pulled her hand out of his grasp.  "Would you do it again then, Grissom?"

            "Not like that, no.  I would ask first.  But Sara, and this is no excuse for my behavior, but I am so confused by you.  I don't know who I am speaking to at any given moment.  I want so much to understand, to," His mouth twisted, as he was unsure of how to describe what he wanted.

            Sara huffed as she realized the word he was looking for.  "Dissect is the word, Grissom.  You want to dissect me."

            Grissom's eyes grew large and his eyebrows rose as he saw how that word hurt her.  "Sara, I'm sorry."

            "I have been 'dissected' most of my life, over half of my life.  I don't need someone else doing that to me, let alone my lover."  Her voice was strong but had lowered as she ended her statement.  She saw how he seemed to enfold himself at her description of him.  She whispered, "Isn't that what you are Grissom…My lover, my friend, my soul mate?"

            Grissom couldn't pull away from her eyes as he saw the depth of emotion hidden deep within.  "Am I?"  He choked on a whisper.

            Sara saw Jackson approaching the lounge out of the corner of her eye and she knew her time was up.  It wasn't in Jackson's nature to interrupt a conversation in seclusion, so she knew something had developed.  "Grissom, I'm sorry, but it looks like I am being called away."  She stood and so did he as he saw what she had seen.  Sara walked to his side of the table until she stood a mere few inches from him.  "You are."  She leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips then pulled away as Jackson made his approach.  She looked in his eyes and saw the understanding.

            "Sara, I'm sorry for intruding but we just received a communiqué.  There is a situation."  Jackson relayed this to her in his usual quiet manner.

            "What's happening Jackson?" she asked while holding onto Grissom's hand.

            Jackson looked from her to Grissom then back to her again.  "I, umm, I can't go into the details here but there is a car waiting to take you to the airport."

            Sara took in a deep breath.  'If they sent a plane… that meant only one thing.'  She looked down at her hand that was now clenching Grissom's and released it slowly as she looked back up at him.  "Well, this is good-bye, Grissom.  I'll call you as soon as I can and let you know when I'll be in Vegas."

            They stared at each other for several seconds before she turned and motioned for Jackson to precede her out of the lounge.  As she stepped out into the sunlight, she turned around to look back at Grissom, watching her leave.  Grissom had an awful feeling in his gut that it was going to be awhile before he saw her again.


End file.
